God Bless The Broken Road
by Stars Walk Backward
Summary: One thing I regret, is never telling Edward how I trusted him with my life. Ironic, considering here I lay at what is most likely the last hour of my life. Captured by the Argentine regime, I can do nothing but try to live just to see Edward one last time
1. Prologue

_A/N:__Yo readers!  
_Okay, so, as you know, I've been writing this Edward and Bella based fic for a while now, and FINALLY it's finished. It's been a journey writing it as The Disappeared was something I had to study for my Drama GCSE. It was as I was doing the topic that I heard some horrific accounts from women, even pregnant women, who were tortured and to near-death, some _to_ their death, by the torturers in Argentina during the Cold War in the 70s. The accounts were so powerful that I decided to channel them into a fictional piece so that more people may no about the tragedies that happened not so long ago at all.  
I was just so surprised that something like this happened and yet before my Drama GCSE I had no idea it existed!  
So, here it is. And though I appreciate that a lot of my reviewers and favouriters so far are Troyella fans, but I'm hoping to gain some more Twilight based readers from this, because Edward & Bella are another passion of mine. :')  
Happy reading you guys! Here's the Prologue. The whole thing should be in either 3 or 4 big parts... :)  
Ask questions/comments don't hesitate to contact me!  
PLEASE review if you approve - I need reviews before I can post the next section! So get to it! :)  
EDWARD & BELLA FOREVER. WOO 3

_PEACE & LOVE!  
x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

This is for the innocent torture victims of the Cold War; for 'The Disappeared.' May you now, finally, rest in peace.

Also my fellow lovers of Bella and Edward, like my Beta & great friend Emily; for my fellow writers, for my friends, and for many inspirations in life;  
_God Blessed The Broken Road, That Led Me Straight To You._

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987. (For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

––– _Prologue –––_

I had never given much thought to how I would die.

As I lay here, it is all I can do to ignore the terror that chokes me. So instead, I get to thinking.

I suddenly realise how different my life is now compared to only a few days ago. At the beginning of this very week, I was still agonisingly frustrated and confused by Edward Cullen, who had seemed determined to protect me from himself. I never got to tell him how ridiculous this was, because there was no way that protection _from _him was necessary.

Now that I know my life is going to end very soon, I lay here and I realise that there is only thing I regret not accomplishing in my lifetime, and that is never being able to tell Edward that I hadn't been exaggerating at all when I told him I trusted him with my life. I really did.

Ironic considering here I lay at what is most likely going to be the last few hours of my life.

Not that I will ever blame Edward for that. In my mind, he will never be at fault for anything. I can only thank him for saving every other part of me––for brightening every essence of my life––even if it was just for a short while.

Here, where ever it is that I am, there doesn't seem to be any measure of time.

I've been lying here, waiting for my kidnappers to return for the questioning they threateningly promised to deliver; but still there's nothing.

Who did they think I was? Some kind of spy? Or was it what I had said about the Argentinean regime at the plaza with Edward––Was it all because I had broken the most feared Argentinean law after all, and just not realised that they had in fact heard?

I lay, trying to regulate my breathing, that is still ragged, even after what feels like a long time.

Suddenly, my mind begins to rewind over all the facts I had learnt over the last few days.

Everyone in the main South American countries knew the disappearances were happening, but no one, especially in Chile and Argentina, could or would speak of it out loud, unless in absolute private.

Everywhere was guarded, watched. Everyone was traceable.

Even vampires.

Not only did I learn that my theory of Edward being a vampire was true during this trip, but also what a huge influence their kind did in fact have over the world I thought I knew.

I was relieved by learning this, because it meant I finally was able to put a stop to the endless theories of who or what Edward Cullen was.

Not only did I realise what a magnificent and powerful creature he was, but also that he was a man I could never have envisaged even in my wildest dreams; of which there were many.

It was during my time in South America that I learnt things about life that I never even knew existed. I also experienced situations I'll never forget, and others that will haunt me forever; however long that is.

It is with this thought that I take in my surroundings again.

I'm lying on cold slabs in what, before they re-covered my eyes, I could see appeared to be an old classroom. It is with the nauseating fear growing inside me that I realise this is in fact one of those haunting moments that will never leave me in the unlikely event they let me live through this. I'm shackled and barely clothed, blindfolded and gagged, and can hear nothing but silence and the occasional muffled yell or scream of another captured stranger from though the walls.

I don't where I am now––or if I'm even still in Argentina. I realise it makes no difference to me now.

It didn't matter anymore, what had been, because as I lay waiting for whichever 'interrogator' was to come in and most likely end my life, I realised I didn't care. I didn't care what I'd done, or hadn't done, or what they had captured me for, so I didn't dwell on it. Instead, I chose to focus on my memories, both the happy and the sad, because they were reality, and were in no way connected to this abyss of pain and misery that I was experiencing now.

I tried my best to picture them all; those back home who may only just be receiving a phone call to say I'm missing; Charlie, Renée, Phil, Billy, Jacob; And those on the trip who may be in a state of confusion and panic now having returned to our hotel to find me gone; Angela, Marc, Jessica, Mike... _Edward_.

I held onto the images in my mind, for fear of forever losing them; along with my sanity.

One wrong word in public was all it took for a person's world to spin into chaos in Argentina. For example, the laws of the Argentina dictatorship stated thatevery female had to give up her job if it was considered a 'high paid' one, such as one in teaching or a medical position. All health care had to be paid for and was far too expensive for the average Argentinean. Child well-fare benefits were given to anyone with one child, but no one else, and emigration out of the country was extremely limited, to the point where no one except holiday-makers ever really arrived or left.

However, the most important law that the military regime enforced, was that _no_ wrong word was to be said against them, _ever. _

Anyone who disobeyed any of these rules, disappeared, _literally,_ never to be seen again. Everyone knew the disappearances were happening, but no one could do anything about it, nor would they by choice either, for fear of being next in line.

There was never any evidence left behind. No one knew anything, and if they did, they would never say. The police were all a part of the disappearances too. They claimed to know nothing; as though a disappearance was nothing to react over.

This is why those who had been taken became known as 'The Disappeared' to the people of Argentina.

Now, I was one of them. I had disappeared, too.

I hadn't known this when I first arrived in Argentina, but being alone with nothing but your thoughts and pain really did give a person a lot to think about.

As usual, I figured everything out on my own.

One thing struck me though as exceedingly odd.

How could modern civilizations such as America not act on what was happening here? Surely their intelligence agencies knew about it all...

Why had they not put a stop to it?

As to why I was here, well, I let my mind run my mouth by accident; at least, that was my guess––though, the regime officials must have other ideas if they had resorted in capturing a _visiting American,_ which was bound to draw unwanted attention towards the country and it's rule_. _After all, I wasn't a resident, or in any way connected to South America...so, why me?

Although, I suppose I am part of it now.

I'm a Disappeared.

I had never given much thought to how I would die.

Now, though, it is all I can seem to think about, as I am running out of thoughts, still shackled on the cold floor, the taste of blood on my tongue.

Yes, my mistakes may have brought me face-to-face with my inevitable death - but I know I can never bring myself to regret them.

Because they also brought me to Edward.

Instead, I close my eyes, and continue to recall the trip––my limited moments with Edward––before a torturer comes to try to get 'answers' from me––answers I _didn't_ have.

I held onto my memories so tightly that my body was filled with desperation and tension. I was suddenly filled with a bitter, sickening fear, not because of the impending torturous fate that was closing in on me, but because I suddenly realised that I _couldn't_ allow myself to lose my mind. It was my one tool; my sanity. My memories.

I immerse myself in the images playing vividly in my mind, desperate that the torturers will not take my mind from me, because that would mean taking all memory of Edward––of my last hope––with them too.

––– ℬ_&_ℰ –––


	2. Part I

A/N: _Hello Twihards, Readers! So, here's Part I, when the drama begins... Please review otherwise there will be more of a delay for the next part - I need to know if you like it in order to know if it's worth posting!_

_P.S. Oh my lord - ROBSTEN (Rob & Kristen) at the SWATH Premiere - I love them!_  
_Kristen has said that she definitely wants to work with Robert on a completely different project other than Twilight... I'm _**so**_excited for this! **BRING IT ON!**_

PEACE AND LOVE,  
x x x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x x x

* * *

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

Part I

We were warned the moment we stepped off the plane, as well as the moment we stepped on - _Do not speak against the country or its government. _Rumour was that secret police were everywhere, both in uniform and not, and that they listened to everything everyone said, and would take anyone away who defied the laws of the land.

Though the military regime was powering up, the signs were not obvious at first that anything was different––other than the uniformed regime officials who patrolled. But other than that, Buenos Aires looked like Buenos Aires should; busy and colourful.

As it turns out, visitors, particularly from first world countries such as America, were not in danger in big cities if they played the game; followed all rules respectively. The authorities let visitors come and go easily, especially the better off ones, as to not draw attention to themselves.

On my first day arriving in Buenos Aires, the air was hot and humid, but the sun was not high in the sky. It was April, so not the immensely hot season, however the air was still heavy with moisture that left you sweaty and dehydrated at the same time. I loved it, though. I'd missed it. Heat was something I was used to, what with my mom living in Jacksonville, Florida, and before that, Arizona. The heat was somehow comforting to me.

It was the same in this case. I felt more at home in Argentina, a place I'd never visited before, than I had the last month of being with my dad, Charlie, in Forks, Washington. I decided I would move in with him, to give my mom the chance to travel with her new husband, Phil. I love them both, so I decided I could give them that, at least.

Sadly though, that _also_ means living under a near-constant cover of clouds and rain with Charlie, who, like me, barely speaks and doesn't huber. Basically, things couldn't be quieter, especially in a town with a mere population of 5120 people. That's why I basked in the buzzing nature of the city I found myself in. Everything like clockwork, yet still latin and beautiful. Yes, that's exactly what it all was to me: utter beauty.

Plus it meant time away from Forks, where I still hadn't found any comfort at all.

Our hotel was nice, and, most importantly for Jessica and her 'frizz-ball' hair, perfectly air conditioned. I was relieved to be sharing a room with both Angela _and_ Jessica. Though Angela was the only one of the two that I considered to be a close friend, I was glad for both of them, because they keep each other busy. Meaning I could just take the city in without being required to carry out excessive shopping excursions or conversations about guys.

All the males in Forks I had met were not at all the type I would consider for a relationship. They were mostly immature and trivial. In fact, Jacob Black, a childhood friend of mine also from Forks, who was only a sophomore, was more mature than a huge proportion of the seniors on this trip.

We had a tour of Buenos Aires within the first thirty-six hours of arriving. Sleep did not seem to be an option, or even a necessity. Good job, as I was feeling rather nocturnal anyway.

This nocturnal feeling did not leave me, and by our second night in Argentina, I was lying wide awake in our dim hotel room, staring at nothing. Eventually, I picked up my room key, pulling on a sweater and jeans, and left the room, with no destination in mind. I hurried through the foyer, only to hit a wall of something, hard, and fall to the ground. Though my falling over happened frequently, I still found myself blushing heatedly, not quite believing I had just ran right into someone and not seen them there at all.

Suddenly, a hand was at my hip, pulling me off my, now very bruised, butt. I looked up to thank the person, but stopped in my tracks.

And like that, I had laid eyes on Edward Cullen again, and at that same moment, I couldn't breathe.

What was he _doing _here? Where had he come from?

"I apologise," he said. His voice sounded, deep, intense, but slightly hurried.

"It...it's okay. I'm fine. It was my fault. It should be illegal for me to run..."

I dropped my eyes from his pale, glowing face and bright eyes––that were very gold today––as I felt my emotions overwhelm me.

"It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. Again, I apologise."

He seemed anxious and hasty, though calm at the same time.

Suddenly, he was focusing on me hard and frowning, an expression that was deeply set and very common for him. The two of us stayed frozen for what felt like hours. His brow was creased, yet again staring at me as though I was some sort of puzzle he couldn't crack. What was he thinking?

He suddenly looked up, almost as though someone had called his name, then walked away from me towards hotel lounge quickly, away from passing guests and staff, and for some reason, I followed him; moved with him. I'd never willingly followed anyone. This was new.

I felt underdressed in the environment, in jeans and a blue sweater, especially compared to the man in front of me, who was in a perfect shirt and pants that did not possess a single crease.

Suddenly I was determined to keep up with him as he walked away from me, wanting to know what his seemingly persistent problem was. It seemed not even saving me from Tyler's van a week ago had changed his demeanour.

Did he regret saving my life?

That must be it.

I suddenly said, "I didn't realise you were coming on this trip. You weren't on the plane with the rest of us," more as an observation than anything else, but it sounded horribly lame and desperate.

A small crooked smile took over his features. "Slight family mix up. Relatives gave my father the wrong date for their visit," he paused again in his usual manner. "It would have been rude to leave for Argentina without even saying hello."

Why was he always full of so many surprises?

"What are you doing running through the hotel foyer all alone? At this time? You do realise, uh..." His voice was so _serene... _"We _are _in South America."

I smiled coyly at him, secretly marveling at his low voice as I spoke. "I couldn't sleep. I think the whole notion of sleep has been forgotten by my brain."

He seemed to find my comment about sleep patterns unusually amusing, as he began to smile, his face creasing with amusement and laughter, breaking his intense puzzled frown. "I know the feeling."

I didn't know what to say to that.

His golden eyes flicked down on me from his height of six foot, two. "Ms Allyson and Mr Collins really doesn't like people wondering round after lights out, you know."

I looked at him, disbelievingly, fascinated that he was using teachers as I way to get out of talking to me. "So, what makes you any different?"

"Nothing in this case," he paused, "Although, I'll have to leave letting her know I've arrived until the morning."

"Why are you here?" I was persistent now. Questions as to who on earth Edward Cullen was had been circling my mind ever since he saved me from that van. _How _exactly he had managed to run and stop the van was still an agonisingly frustrating concept to me. He had stopped the moving van with his hand––he had _dented _it. Not _only _that, but he had managed to get to me in time from all the way across the parking lot, where he _had _been stood by his Volvo. He denies this persistently. He obviously doesn't realise that he could brush me off with his 'adrenaline rush' and concussion excuses all he liked; I wasn't giving up. I _know _what I saw.

He took a deep breath in, still not really smiling. "Bella," he started, deliberately moving away from me and ignoring my question. "I told you on the Biology trip to the eco plant, remember?" He looked directly down at me, golden gaze burning. "We shouldn't be friends."

"Well, let's say that we're not and that I have no intention of such a thing," I swallowed. "Then will you tell me how you stopped the van?"

Edward looked irritated. "I told you––"

My jaw tightened hard. "Yeah, well, if you're going to stick that stuff about an adrenaline rush, then you might just your wish after all."

Edward looked bemused by this. "My _wish_?"

"That we shouldn't be friends. That's what you want, right? Well, I just want the truth. I just can't..._stand _people lying to me...I," I paused, speaking genuinely. "I _know_ what I saw."

"And what exactly was that?"

I ignored his slightly snide tone. "Yo––" she sighed. "You _stopped _the van. You pushed it away with your hand. You somehow ran all the way from the _other _side of the lot. You were by your car."

"Yeah, well, no one's going to believe you, so," he remarked, his upper lip twitching with angst of some sort.

I looked up at him, surprised and bewildered at his suggestion. "I wasn't going to tell anybody, I––" I sighed. "I just want to know."

Suddenly, his head snapped up. "Looks like we have company."

A second later, before I could ask who, Angela was calling me from a considerable distance.

"Bella!"

I swallowed, taking a moment to clear my mind.

"Bella, there you are! I woke up to find you gone. Where were––"

I looked away from Edward to see Angela looking at me with a slightly shocked and confused expression.

"Edward," she said, her voice broken and unclear suddenly. He really did dazzle _everybody. _"I didn't know you would be here."

"I was just telling Bella," he said, his whole voice and demeanour lacking all the tension that had been there mere seconds before; tension it was clear _I_ had caused. He was suddenly soft and smooth again. "My relatives came from out of town the day we were all meant to leave." His famous crooked grin appeared then. "I was going to catch a plane with all of the rest of the class, except then I considered it would be rude of me not to spend at least sometime with them."

Angela nodded, seemingly very understanding. "Yeah, absolutely. Family's family, right?"

I smiled at Angela's response. She always seemed to say the most courteous things.

"Absolutely," he charmed back, seemingly out of politeness. He laid his eyes on me again for a second. "It's late. Perhaps you should go back to bed, so you can enjoy tomorrow properly. We all should." He looked directly down at me, only this time his golden eyes were more suggestive than before as he spoke. "We'll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow."

I was hoping that was Edward translation for 'you may get some truth from me yet.'

The next morning, I woke to the memories of a dream I had had the previous night which had an amalgamation of Edward Cullen and his golden eyes.

Golden eyes that weren't always the same colour...

Jessica, Angela and I all got up and dressed quickly once we were woken by Ms Allyson, but didn't get a chance to leave the room until Jessica had straightened her hair.

All I could think at that point was, good job I didn't like to eat much in the morning, because we only just made breakfast.

Edward, of course, wasn't there.

At the time, this confused and agitated me greatly. Where did he _go _all the time, and why did I _care_ so much? That was the real question.

He reappeared again once we were all preparing to explore Buenos Aires some more on our own. He addressed Ms Allyson about his late arrival with a graceful, effortless charm that only a Cullen could possess. It was quite amusing to watch even a forty year old woman turn to putty in his hands before even a word was spoken.

Next thing I knew, he was making his way over to me as I stood alone, slightly away from the rest of the group.

"Bella," he began, his voice even more irresistible the night before. Was that possible? "Did you sleep alright?"

I squinted at him slightly. How did he know about my lack of sleep? Then I realised, not only was it probably written all over my face, but he had also caught me wondering in the early hours of the morning in the foyer... I inwardly cringed.

"Yeah," I answered, somewhat lowly, my voice deliberately filled with complacency. "It was okay."

"No Olympic running in the foyer before breakfast, then?"

I let out an amused breath. "As I said; it should be illegal for me to run."

"That's probably true. You seem awfully accident prone, what with the ice, and then Tyler's truck..."

I let out a breath, again unsure of how to reply to him. "Yeah. Yeah, I suppose I am. Ice really doesn't help the uncoordinated. That's why I love the heat. It can't... do anything to me."

He seemed to tense at my words, as if they somehow affected him on a personal level.

At that time I hadn't realised the intense irony what I had just implied.

We were told we could split up into very small groups to make our way around the surrounding area, and, most importantly, we could choose our own groups.

I was about to play it safe and ask Angela, but that's when I remembered Edward.

I suppose, strange though it was, I felt sympathy for him, as he didn't have his siblings with him as he always did before. To me, here in Argentina, alone, he simply seemed even more isolated and lonely than I had ever seen him be.

My mind flashed back in that moment to the first day I ever saw the Cullen siblings, as they entered the school cafeteria in Forks. Each of them had arrived in their usual, intimate pairs: Emmett, the tall jock, and Rosalie, the beautiful stunning blonde; then the sweet and pixie looking Alice entered twirling, hand-in-hand with Jasper, who, as Jessica had rather curtly said, always look like he was in pain. Then, seemingly always a few motions behind, entered Edward. He was alone, and looked incredibly solemn and heavy with thought; almost as though he had the weight of a thousand planets on his shoulders and his mind. I remember distinctly how I had watched them each take a seat at their back table that day. It may have been wrong to observe them this way––so intently––but, similarly to the rest of the student body, I was quite simply, utterly fascinated by them. In particular though, I was totally infatuated by the one Cullen who was always by himself. I quickly became spellbound by Edward. I had always noted he sat slightly set apart from the others; not always engaging in conversation unless the dark-haired one, Emmett, egged him to, or pixie-looking Alice, smiled his way kindly, encouraging him.

It was as I stood watching the students from Forks under the heavy set, bright clouds try to decide on groups, that I was able to pin-point what it was about Edward in Argentina that was so different from the Edward I had observed in Biology.

I realised that without the security of his siblings he somewhat resembled a a fish out of water; except, he was more like...a fish out of water, that _could_ breath.

This somewhat out-of-place thought seemed to materialise in my mind out of nowhere, and it made no sense. But then I pieced it together and really thought about it. My stupid analogy _did _in some ways make sense; because he _did _appear, while in Argentina, almost like 'a fish out of water,' because he was out of his usual environment, without the comfort of his siblings; he looked tense and more...lost all the time, _if _that word could be used. However, he wasn't a _floundered_ fish; he did appear panicked. He was the fish that walked on land that _could_ breath air. Though he seemed out of place and painfully noticeable, there was no obvious outward panic; no _floundering. _

I only saw the subtle change, my guess, because I had so bluntly observed him throughout the days he appeared in school. I must catalogued so many aspects of him sub-consciously, because it was when he appeared so lost and alone that I began to notice what was missing.

If there was one thing I would have never expected Edward Cullen to be, it was what I was seeing: out of place and alone. It was something that, by the look of his appearance and the perfect composition of his every word, I would have never believed. Only, I knew it was true, because I was witnessing it in that moment––as I looked at him through the clusters of grouping seniors.

So, that must have been why I found myself approaching non other than Edward Cullen during the deciding of the groups––something it seemed non of the others had the courage or, to be honest, _decency,_ to do.

I could feel Jessica gaping with shock from behind me, and Angela smiling with what seemed like both disbelief and pride.

"Do you have a group?" I asked, mustering all my left over courage.

He seemed to look down at me for a long moment, somewhat disbelieving himself. "No..."

I smiled slightly at him. "Would you like come in a group with us?" He seemed extremely bemused by my invitation, which made me wish he would accept all the more, because he shouldn't feel so surprised; he _should _be made to feel wanted. After all, he deserved it. "Come," I said, as a rather weak persuasion. "Come with us... I mean, have some _fun._"

He took a long moment to consider my offer, taking a deep intake of breath. "Will you still be insisting on getting answers?"

I just smirked, slightly. "Yes."

He paused, then looked down at me with his golden gaze. "I suppose I shouldn't prolong the inevitable."

He then, to my complete amazement, followed me as I joined Jessica, Angela, Mike and Marc. We were given a map of the main points in the area to visit, which the four of them immediately took control of. Edward and I let them, as we naturally began to lag behind.

We visited _Mataderos_ where there were so many pretty colours and folk music playing everywhere, all through the streets. Then we were taken in a mini-bus to _La Boca _where all the houses were painted traditionally in beautiful hues of reds and pinks. Angela and I couldn't resist fitting in a quick visit to the see art work of artist Benito Quinquela Martín. All the pieces were exquisite, however, my thoughts were focused almost completely on the exquisite pale, golden-eyed _god _walking behind me, who was practically a piece of art himself. He ended up murmuring quiet synopsis's of the art in front of us. This made me want to laugh. Why was I not surprised? _Of course _Edward Cullen had been here before. It was as though he was a walking, talking guide book.

As we made our way to the Plaza de Mayo, a sixteenth century square, Edward was practically a mute, a contrast to the murmurings he had come out with in the art museum. I smiled at him and he smiled back in that subtle way of his, which was enough to make my insides flutter, despite his silence.

Once we arrived, we made our way through crowds of people. Flutters of Argentinean Spanish surrounded me, and it was all I could do not to gawk at the pure culture that filled the air. One thought kept circling my mind in that moment: How on earth could I go back to _Forks _after _this? _

"Immersive, isn't it?"

Edward's voice was suddenly in my ear, low, serene and smooth.

"Exceedingly," I murmured, suddenly out of breath.

Edward looked somewhat smug as we both lagged behind the others, breaking through the crowds of Argentinean's. He had a slightly airy confidence about him, which I supposed could be easily mistaken for arrogance. No wonder though, considering how completely magnificent a creature he is.

Suddenly, the Plaza was revealed in all it's paved glory. The _Casa Rosada, _the Presidential Palace, Edward tells me, is to the east. The large regal balcony high above was where Argentina's regime leader General Pinochet liked to address the people. My breath caught at the sight of the stunning pillar monument that towered above us in the centre of the square, creating shadows along the beautiful paved floor. I looked to my left, and smiled in awe of the fascinating old colonial building fronted with arches across from us.

"What's that?" I murmur, somehow knowing he would hear me.

Edward looked up at the arched building, coming to stand next to me. "It's called The _Cabildo_," he informed me, speaking the name in what I could tell was an absolutely _flawless _Spanish accent. "It once encircled the whole plaza back during the May Revolution in 1810."

I looked at our surroundings again, completely disregarding the fact that the others had made their way off to get closer look, leaving Edward and I alone, surrounded by nothing but the beautiful poetry of the Spanish language mingling with the sound of the breeze.

"You have relatives from here, right?"

"I have relatives from many different places, South America is one of them."

I turned to him, smiling slightly. "Do you speak Spanish?"

He smiled that beautiful genuine smile as he laughed that caused his whole face to ripple, especially around his beautiful golden eyes. "Some," he said, complacently.

_"Some? _Somehow I doubt that very much."

He was still chuckling silently, eyes crinkled, before he spoke. _"Vale. Me admito, eso era una mentira. Sólo una mentira pequeño, pero sigue siendo una mentira todo lo mismo. Lo siento, Bella."_

If I could melt to liquid on the paved ground right then and there, I would have. Not because of the weather––it wasn't at all as hot as it was in other parts of year––but because he had sent my heart into a frenzy.

Just when I thought he really couldn't get any more beautiful––more mesmerising––_blow me_, he did.

He was chuckling silently to himself again by the time I came to. I looked at him, my mouth still hanging open. "What...what did you just say?" I asked, sounding winded.

He moved slightly closer to me, but not close enough. "That I admit that what I said had been a lie, a small lie, but a lie all the same. I apologise, Bella," he said, teasingly. "You were right. I do speak more than _some _Spanish."

I took in a breath. "Hate to break it to ya', but that sounded much more in depth in Spanish."

He thankfully realised my joke, and laughed, actually releasing sound for once, and it was a magical sound, like a beautiful symphony orchestra. "I agree with you. The English language is so trivial compared to that of Mediterranean language speaking countries. There is more meaning behind the most common of phrases in languages like Italian, than in any English phrases."

We started walking towards the tall monument pillar as I spoke. "Such as?"

Edward didn't seem to have to think about that one. "In Italian, there are over one hundred ways to say 'I love you.' Most, when translated, mean the most minimal things in English, but that's precisely my point. To Mediterranean's, words are so much more than words. Words are _expression._"

I smile at his sudden passion. A side of him I had never seen before. "I'm guessing by your vigor that you speak Italian too?"

He smiled, showing parts of his pearly white teeth. His golden eyes were laughing. His mood swings really were erratic. I decided not to address them though and to make the most of it before he turned distant again.

He silently chortled, again repeating, "_Some_."

I laughed, loudly, something that was rather rare for a character like mine. "Can I hear some of that too then?"

He looks straight ahead as we approach the monument, seemingly taking in the moment. "_Bella," _he sighed, a beautiful Italian accent flowing from his lips, making my name virtually unrecognisable. _"__Bellezza mediterranea mi affascina. Qui in Argentina, Musica e colore sono Le Finestre dell'anima."_

That really did it.

I knew it then. I adored him, by now I knew that. But after that I felt like I could love him. I felt a deep urge to admit it to him, that, given the chance, I could love him, I really could. I knew that now.

Edward Cullen. What had he done to me?

"Wow. Do you speak Ancient Egyptian too?" I joked.

He squinted, amused. "No..." His lips pursed in amusement. "Well, not yet anyway."

I laughed. Actually laughed. "Not yet._ I can believe it._" I wouldn't be surprised if he _did _end up learning Ancient Egyptian. He seemed the type.

We reached the monument, and I closed my eyes for a moment as a let my palm touch the cool, smooth stone of the great square pillar. I reached down into my satchel, pulling out the camera Charlie had insisted I bring. I felt my heart thump as I built up the courage to speak to beautiful Edward again.

"My dad, Charlie," I swallowed, "insisted I bring this and take photos of the places we go. Would you mind taking a photo of me in front of this?"

The corner of Edward's lips tugged upward in a subtle smile, as though I had asked a totally unnecessary question. "Of course."

Slowly and nervously, I placed the camera in his palm, slightly sad when our skin didn't touch, and walked to lean awkwardly against the monument. Edward was suddenly very far away by the time I turned and looked up at him. I stood still, not quite sure what to do next as he held the camera up to his face. I looked down at my feet, embarrassed by my awkwardness, and I was surprised a second later to see Edward was suddenly closer, only three maybe four meters away. He bought the camera to his face again, quietly chuckling.

"What?" I questioned, quickly, self-consciously.

Edward bought the camera down from his face, and I felt my stomach flutter at the look in his eyes. "_Smile_, Bella. You look as though you're having a torturous time. I'm not _that _boring, surely..."

I was still hesitant to show him my camera smile I hated so much.

He called for my attention again. "Smile, Bella."

I tried as best I could, I truly did. Just for him. Just for Edward.

As he stepped back up the steps, an elderly Argentinean couple crossed his path at the same time, almost walking into him.

"Ah,_ lo siento, Señora,_" he murmured apologetically to warm-looking woman, who smiled back and murmured Spanish to him. I wanted to sit and swoon repeatedly over this. The near-collision clearly was not his fault, yet he still looked at the sweet elderly woman so earnestly and apologised in her own native language for something that was not his doing. This seemed to be a recurring theme with Edward Cullen. How could one man be so flawless?

Suddenly, Edward was next to me. To distract myself from my ever-repetitive thoughts, I went to take the camera from his hands, my fingers touching his.

That was the first time I ever touched Edward Cullen, and the sensation caused even my delayed human reactions to kick in as I quickly pulled away, shocked.

His skin was cold as ice.

I couldn't hold in the gasp of surprise that escaped my lips.

He cringed away from me once the exchange had happened. His eyes transformed from the warm, smooth honey tone to an almost solid, dark bronze. He looked away, his jaw set.

"I-I'm sorry," I stammer, not sure what else to say.

He held his head high with tension, a look of almost..._disgust _marked across his beautiful face.

Did I really repulse him _that _much? Firstthe obvious attempts of ignoring me at school after than van incident, and now _this_?

"Don't apologise," he said, quickly, disjointed. "My fault."

I swallowed, preparing for an even worse shunning than the last time I had gotten too close to Edward Cullen...

But, for reasons I still do not understand, this time, it never came.

"Do you still want answers?"

His gentle words shocked me, something that was not unusual for Edward Cullen, however this was _really _something.

"Yes!" I said, much too quickly. "I...just want the truth."

Edward swallowed and looked up to the sky. I noted in that moment how he always appeared to have the invisible weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Follow me."

I did as he instructed, shadowing his every step as we walked down the steps of the monument and into the wide open space of the plaza. It was then as we were in a shallow open space that I noticed the regime officials in red and black uniforms, who were dotted everywhere you could see. As we walked in amongst the rather crowded scene of the plaza, I could feel eyes on me.

"Edward," I questioned, trying desperately to keep up with him through the crowds of people. "Edward," I called again, making sure my voice could be heard. "The men in red and black, why are they watching us? I thought they were just police... Why are they... Why do people look so afraid of them?"

"Bella," Edward said in a tone that sounded like a warning, although, I wasn't listening.

"Is it just me or they look like they're calculating everyone? I mean, it's as though these _innocent_ people here are all suspicious of crimes, which can't possibly be true." Suddenly, now I really observed and thought about it, I could feel the pressure of the officials stares in the air. I suddenly felt the claustrophobia of Argentina's brutal and strict military society surrounding me. I looked around at the faces of locals here in the plaza, and it was only then that I noticed the worried and burdened expressions on almost every face.

It was then I remembered the military regime's laws I had been briefly told about. _Any _Argentinianwho was found to be trying to speak out against the regime, even if it was simply _rumoured_, 'disappeared' and was never seen again, just as the Nazi regime had done in Germany before World War II. Simple as that. Suddenly I couldn't swallow back down the knowledge of this blatantly legitimate kidnapping and oppression of these poor people. I couldn't just sit back and ignore it, so I said words that I know now, I never should have.

"What have these poor people ever done, Edward, to be spied on and watched like this? Because that's what they're doing, isn't it? That's why they stand around so suspiciously. They're calculating which of the innocent they can pass off as a traitors. They're looking for excuses to kill people!" I was trying not to bump into the huge amounts of people in the square as well as trying to keep up with Edward. I almost tripped multiple times, which was no surprise. I was beginning to wonder if he was even listening to me as we began to make our way out of the loud crowds of people, and nearer to a line of officials...

"It's like the regime is picking innocent, bony pigs for slaughter––"

Suddenly, Edward was facing me, grabbing my arm, his ice cold fingers pressing into my skin. Man, he was strong. My skin was tingling as I stared up at him.

"Bella," he said, his voice hard with urgency and concern. We were still hidden behind crowds of people, so the stares couldn't reach us in that moment. A few steps more though and we would be out of the wide open space of the plaza, where they could watch us... There was something about the men in red and black that gave me the most irreversible chills...

"Hold my hand, Bella," he uttered, urgently.

"W-what?" I questioned, quickly losing all the outrage I had been feeling towards the regime and its officials once he spoke. I almost fell then, shock hitting me.

"_Toma mi mano, Bella!_" he repeated urgently in Spanish this time, knowing full well I had heard him the first time. I had, I was just sure I'd been mistaken.

He took my hand tight in his icy one, the temperature difference so strong that I shuddered, mostly though, with delight though more than anything, because Edward Cullen was touching me.

"I'm so sorry," he muttered of his touching my hand. I wanted to call him ridiculous, wanted to tell him I liked it, but I couldn't find the courage.

I didn't understand why his skin was so cold to touch; it was yet another thing about him that didn't add up. However, I was willing to forget about that for now.

Next, I began to realise that his hand around mine was like stone. Glorious, ice cold, shimmering stone. My grip on his hand didn't seem to imprint into his skin at all, as though I wasn't even holding it, yet it was obvious he was trying not to hold my hand too tightly, trying to control his strength.

My mind suddenly flashed back then to the moment his saved me from Tyler's van, stopping it with his very hands. I had seen it, and despite his denial, I knew it was true. I found it fascinating that the same hands that dented metal so easily were holding my frail ones perfectly. Surreal.

His looked insecure as his hand held mine, suddenly deeply uncomfortable. This was rare, probably the rarest thing that I could ever have imagined to see in Edward Cullen's eyes. It was as though he despised himself for subjecting me to such an icy cold touch. Such a thing, of course, was ridiculous, because right now, with his cool, pale skin pressed against mine, I couldn't be happier. My whole body was fluttering.

Because I was now sure I loved him. No doubt in my mind.

Edward pulled me into his side, his arm around my back and his hand linked with mine. He pulled us from behind the larger crowd, in the general direction of where the others had gone. "I'm sorry," he murmured again, as he noted me staring at his hard, cool skin, running a thumb over his hand, getting a feel of its icy temperature.

I shook my head as we stayed behind another group of Argentineans. "You have nothing to apologise for," I said, equally quietly, looking up his intense expression, his dark slightly frowning eyebrows and his mesmerising golden eyes.

"I promise you I'll explain later," he said, hurriedly. "But right now, would you just do as I ask? _Please? _And don't say anything, okay?_" _I nod, keeping silent. With that, he pulled us out from behind another group of Argentineans. He tried to keep our walk in rhythm, to make us look natural as we took each step, his arm around me with our hands linked, as he purred sweet nothings in Spanish in my ear. I guessed he was trying to keep up a false 'couple' facade so that the officials may think they were mistaken by my outburst; that it couldn't have been me that said those things against the regime. Edward was trying to make me appear the weaker one, so that they won't choose to confront me. At least that was my guess.

Problem was, I _was_ weak compared to those uniformed officials, physically anyway, and that was enough for them to use anything I said wrong against me...

Had they heard what I had said in that crowd? Had there been secret police amongst us in the crowds of people? Had they heard me?

Would they act on it, right here, right now, or would they steal me away when no one was looking?

I looked slightly to my left as I was being lead by Edward, following the ever-present feeling of stares, only to see a regime official in red and black staring back at me from yards away, stood higher up on some steps, the lump of a gun under his jacket. As soon as I caught his eye, I felt an icy eery chill run down my spine. I quickly turned into Edward's cool, hard––somewhat marble like––embrace, the stare causing fear to creep up inside me. I nuzzled into Edward. I couldn't help myself. He calmed me.

I tried to concentrate on my breathing, because I realised then that the look in the official's eyes told me one thing.

He had seen my spoken outburst.

Somehow, even from where he stood, I knew _he_ knew what I'd said; it was the glint in his eye. From then, it was obvious: the official was going to report me.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_


	3. Part II

A/N: _Hey guys! So, I've been getting a lot of reviews from people in Argentina who like the story and the fact that it details a dark part of their history - which is really pretty cool! I just wanted to say that I know some of my historic information isn't accurate, but that's mostly due to the fact that I wasn't taught the completely accurate information by my Drama teachers. Plus, when I researched it, not much could be found... _

_Anyway, I've decided that it doesn't matter much anyway, as this story is only INSPIRED by those events, and is a work of fiction, so in the end it doesn't matter if everything's not 100% accurate. But thank you for me reviewers for letting me know! I'll glad you like it. _  
_Please carry on reviewing and letting other Twilight fans know! _  
_I'm not sure how many more parts their are to this - maybe three, four? I wrote it as one whole piece, but am splitting it up, so we'll see. It all depends how many reviews I get... ;)_  
_I have GCSE exams starting next week so I can't promise how often I update on this account with any of my stories. I promise I will try to finish posting this very soon! _

_PEACE & LOVE,_  
_x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.  
(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

Part II

There were so many questions circling me now I realised the mistake I had made. A horrible, ridiculous, _stupid _mistake. I kicked myself now knowing I had also endangered all those on the trip with us. How selfish I had been. I was sure that anyone associated with me would not be ignored; not if the brutal regime decided I was an American 'terrorist threat' or something else of the sort. The regime's propaganda would find some way of hiding my 'disappearance,' I was sure of that. But one thing I knew for sure in that moment of realisation, was that the Argentinean authorities _would_ be coming after me. For some reason, I had no doubt about that. The only question now was _when._

When I first came to the conclusion that they were going to come after me, I began hyperventilating slightly, and somehow Edward noticed this instantly. How that was, was beyond me. Maybe he could hear my thundering heart. After all, it was deafeningly loud in my ears. _"Respira, Bella. Por favor. Relájese." _I spoke enough primary Spanish to get the gist of what he was soothingly cooing in my ear, 'Breathe, Bella. Please. Relax.' Though, his body language as we walked closely past some of the red and black officials suggested soothing was the last thing he was feeling inside.

My breathing pace increased even more as we neared the regime official who still had his eyes on me; his calculating, cold eyes. I gripped Edward's marble hand hard, not caring if it hurt me or if I appeared ridiculous or desperate to Edward. I just wanted to feel supported, wanted, once in my life. I wanted to make the most of Edward before they took me away from him. That's all I cared for after that. Drinking him in.

As we neared the official, Edward turned from me and looked directly at him.

So he had noticed the staring too?

Before Edward could get himself into trouble, I gripped his arm with my other hand. "Edward," I said urgently. "Edward, we have to get out of here. They'll be waiting for us."

I looked from Edward to the officer, who's cold eyes I could now see were dark, much like mine in fact. And, just like mine, they were the complete opposite of Edward's.

The official looked at me as I spoke, looking as though he had hit the jackpot. Edward stiffened even more beside me, a low growling hiss rumbling from somewhere deep in his chest to the back of his throat. Somehow, this didn't startle me as much as it should have.

Nothing Edward could ever do would scare me off.

_ "Sigue caminando, señor," _Edward said, his voice hard, yet somehow, still polite, saying, what _I _guessed meant, _'Walk on, Sir.' _I could feel his hard arm tighten almost painfully around me. I wasn't afraid Edward would hurt me, not at all, I was just afraid of the uniformed man in front of us. Terrified. I knew that the pressure of Edward's tight hold may leave bruises on my skin because I bruised like a peach, but I didn't mind. I had Edward, for now, in whatever form he came. And that was enough; that was all I needed.

The official gave me one last intense look, causing me to shudder again, before he walked of, followed by another official. I swallowed hard, hiding me face as it pressed against the fabric of Edward's dress shirt.

People had suddenly began to gather around the regal balcony of The _Casa Rosada, _the Presidential Palace, where the regime liked to give speeches. Suddenly, lines of women holding photographs came out from the side streets and into the plaza, completely silent, and they sat and walked around, still silent, holding their photos. I looked at their faces; the sadness there was soul-crushing, and made me want to sob for them. They looked so sad, with such burdens and grief on their shoulders. I looked up to Edward's face questioningly, wanting to ask him what was going on, why they were silent, but he was still glaring after the official. I realised suddenly, sadly, that perhaps they were mourners...

Slowly, Edward guided me away, finally heading in the direction of where Angela and the others had gone, but not before I looked up to one of the lower balconies and saw a small women intensely staring at me.

Suddenly, the young women who was small and light blonde, dressed in black, and couldn't be older than sixteen or seventeen, was looking back at me with a small, wicked smile. Her eyes never left mine. The look in her eyes made me want to scream at the top of my lungs with fear and terror, even though I had no idea why that was...

I shook my head as I turned back to let Edward lead me away. I curled into him again, making the most of the time I had being held by him before he let me go, trying to rid my mind of the little woman's disturbing expression.

I decided that the roller-coaster of emotions I had been feeling in those last few minutes must have been playing with my mind. Either that or I was going mad, because I could have sworn in that second that the small young woman on the balcony had had red eyes...

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

"Bella! Edward! Oh my god, where _were_ you?" Angela breathed, frantic.

I loved Angela since the first day I arrived in Forks. She was what my Gran would call 'Sweet as sugar,' and I instantly felt awfully guilty for causing her to worry.

"Edward is such a good tour guide, I guess we lost track of time," I said casually, making sure not to look directly at them.

Jessica and Mike noticed us then. "_Whoopy. _Finally, you've decided to join us. Can we _please_ go now?"

We all didn't want to argue with Jessica, so we followed her back to the mini-bus.

Edward had let go of me as soon as we had left the plaza, dropping the couple facade. He apologised lowly for touching me, the look of self-loathing never leaving his eyes. I wanted to grab hold of him and shake him senseless. Why didn't he see that he didn't disgust me _in the slightest?_

As we got back to the mini-bus, Edward pulled open the door strongly and held it open for me. I ducked my head in thanks as I murmured a soft thank you. He climbed in after me as we took of seats at the back of the bus. The others climbed in after us, being loud, as usual.

Edward and I were silent. He sat on the seat across the aisle from me, staring down at his hands.

"Edward," I breathed almost silently, but he heard me. "Ed––"

He cut me off by moving to sit by me at an almost an impossible pace. How did he do that? "Bella," he said, almost in a whisper. His jaw tightened. "Don't do this.''

I searched his face questioningly, breathing through my mouth. "Do what?––"

"I _shouldn't _be doing this_. _But I can't help myself..."

"Shouldn't be doing what?"

He looked straight into my eyes, and suddenly they were liquid gold again. "Putting you in danger... Getting attached to you... Becoming addicted to you."

I tried desperately with his words to try and regulate my breathing. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. "I could say the same to you," I said.

He squinted disbelievingly, as though I couldn't _possibly _mean that.

"Your skin––" I started, almost whispering.

"––I know, I'm so sorry," he said, his voice full of regret. "I won't put you through that again."

"No!" I said loudly and too quickly. I ducked my head behind the seat and looked up at him. "Edward, I... There's nothing wrong with your skin. Well, _I _don't think so."

He scoffed, his eyes pained, and looked away. "Don't kid yourself, Bella. We both know its strength and temperature is..._repulsive. _The skin of a monster."

"Edward, no." I paused for a moment, making sure the others were still being loud and so, weren't listening. "For once, you're wrong. You're not a monster."

I shook his head, still not taking me seriously.

Suddenly, my stomach rumbled loudly.

"You haven't eaten since breakfast, have you?" he asked, all too concerned.

"I'm not hungry," I said, because I truly didn't feel it.

"Let me get you something to eat when we get back." he murmured. "I know a great place."

"Then will you explain how you stopped the van?"

"Yes... I suppose I will have to."

I took a moment. "Okay... I could use some food."

He smiled slightly, the first one I had seen since the incident in the plaza, amused by my words.

"Of course you could," he smiled. "We're almost back at the hotel now."

I nodded, turning to look out the window, suddenly nervous but anxious for the dinner to come. I couldn't wait to see if my theories were true; to unlock some of the mystery surrounding Edward Cullen.

It was seven o'clock in the evening, after all having a siesta, that someone knocked on our hotel room door. The others panicked about what on earth they looked like having just woken up, so I got up, not caring, and answered the door.

It was only then that I wished I'd been as reluctant to answer the door as the others.

There, stood in all his golden, pale glory, was Edward Cullen, dressed in a pale blue dress shirt with the top few buttons undone and dark bootleg jeans. His beautiful golden bronze hair was in its usual messed up yet quaffed fashion. His golden eyes were smiling.

"Are you hungry?" Edward asked, his voice almost musical.

I nodded, because suddenly I really was. I still hadn't eaten since my rather big breakfast...

"Yeah," I swallowed, suddenly conscious of Jessica and Angela hidden in the room behind me, listening intently. "I'll be two minutes, okay?"

He smiled, simply nodding before stepping back and letting me shut the door.

Instantly, I was ambushed.

"_Edward Cullen?" _Jessica asked incredulously.

Angela just smiled at me from under her glasses from where she sat on her bed. "Way to go, _Bella_."

"So, he's taking you out to dinner..." Jessica said, as though I was meant to fill in the details.

"Yeah, I guess," I said, rather curtly. I didn't mean to be vague, but I honestly didn't think it would lead to anything more entertaining than that anyway.

I quickly changed sweaters to my favourite light blue one, and grabbed some of the native currency from my bag and put it into my jean-shorts pocket.

"I'll see you guys later," I said, quickly, suddenly feeling nervous.

I opened the hotel room door, pushing my key card into my pocket. I closed it behind me, but not before I heard a soft, gleeful chorus of _'I knew it, I knew it!' _from Angela.

I smiled to myself, momentarily forgetting Edward Cullen was metres away, waiting for me.

"You should smile like that more often," he suddenly said, bringing me back to the moment. I could feel a deep blush creep up my neck to my cheeks.

"Thanks," I mumbled. "I don't agree, but thanks."

"Are you ready to go?"

I smiled. Really smiled, or at least, tried to. For him. "Yeah," I said, shyly.

Once we were outside the hotel and away from the others, we began to walk along the colourful pavement. I was still jittery after the experience at the plaza, knowing that I could be taken by regime officials at any moment. I had come to the conclusion that they would wait until I was definitely alone and defenseless, because they could only attempt taking a person once. I knew that at this point my entire expanse of worries were all based on theories, but, at the moment, theories were all I had to go on.

The same could be said with my ever growing relationship with Edward Cullen.

It seemed he was beginning to give up trying to convince me I was delusional about his obvious inhuman abilities. There was no way I had been wrong now, I knew that. Edward _had _been stood on the other side of the parking lot, by his Volvo, yet somehow he was able to save me seconds later when Tyler's van came sliding towards me. He then proceeded to stop the van with his _bare hands. _

And now there was the strangely calming factor of his ice cold skin.

As I lay awake in our hotel room that late afternoon, counting down the hours until I could see Edward again, I began re-reading the Quiluete tribe book I had ordered from an old store in Port Angeles, and that was when it all began to click into place.

Edward Cullen was impossibly fast and strong. His eyes are sometimes gold, sometimes bronze, or black, (particularly when he was really cranky.) He didn't appear at school whenever the sun finally shined in Forks, neither did he appear until the second day of this trip, missing the first day, which had been the last day of real sun in Argentina for at least a week. Again, he hadn't been there. On the second day, the forecast of a week of overcast in Argentina began, and that was the day Edward turned up.

He was also beautifully pale.

All this began to link together under what the tribe book called 'The Cold One.'

This was something that, I realised, was an ancient name for something that still existed in stories today.

I looked over at Edward in the dark of the evening as he walked beside me, his pale skin glistening against the colourful lighting in the street. His eyes were golden, and continued to make my stomach turn excitedly, though his body language was still a little stiff. I resisted the even-growing urge to reach out and touch him; to feel his solid, icy skin that left a trail of tingles on mine. I had no doubt by now that he could kill me right then and there, just by lashing out with a slight bat of his hand.

I was almost completely sure of who he was, but I had to get answers from him; had to be sure.

A sudden bang from somewhere made me jump; the idea that regime officials could be lurking in the shadows, just waiting for me to be left alone, still circling my mind.

"You know," he said, noting the space behind us and my jumpy behaviour. "South America's not exactly known for its safety for young, white girls."

I knew from his tone he was teasing, but I shook my head, looking sideways at him. "You think you can scare me off by saying something like that?" He smiled. "Besides, I have you, so I'm sure I don't count as young white girl who needs saving. Maybe you could save one of these locals from oncoming traffic instead?"

He looked at my expression, which I made sure to be a smug one, just so he knew I wasn't going to drop the subject until I got answers. He thought, didn't seem so amused by my words.

"Bella, what if I'm not the hero? What if I'm...the bad guy here."

My theory was ever-closer of being confirmed.

"What do you mean?"

He shook his head, his tousled bronze hair, still perfect. "I mean, that you shouldn't be with me. If you were smart, you would stay away."

Now it was my turn to shake my head dismissively. "Yeah well, let's say for arguments sake that I'm not smart. Edward, I... I want to be around you, I––" He suddenly pulled me closer to him as some passersby were ambling towards us from the opposite direction. He linked my arm with his, protective, looking somewhat like a figure from a period movie with the way he held himself while he guided me. I could just imagine him in a high white collar and a high top hat.

"It shouldn't be that way," he ground, once the passersby were out of ear-shot.

"Well, it is," I said, rather indelicately, desperate for him to listen to me.

Edward suddenly held out an arm to the road and a taxi suddenly pulled up.

"We'll talk about this over dinner, Bella. Not here," he said, and for once I didn't even try to argue with him.

"_Hola_! My name is Claudia, and I will be your server today. You're from America, yes?" I couldn't help but feel ridiculous next to Edward as the waitress approached us at our private table in the corner of the rather fancy restaurant. She never once spoke to me, her eyes only ever on Edward. Though this irked me for reasons unknown to even myself, I couldn't help but identify with her. _Of course _she couldn't keep her eyes off him. What female could?

"_Sí_," Edward answered, his eyes never once leaving me as I bashfully looked back at him. "We'll have two cokes, please."

I instantly wanted to protest, knowing full well by mere observation of Edward's eating habits that both cokes were intended for me. "Edward––"

"That is all for now." The waitress was really trying to get him to look at her again. I really couldn't blame her.

"Are you sure?" she asked, desperation evident even to me through her heavy Argentinean accent.

"Very sure. _Gracias_."

"_De nada, Señor," _she said, her elegance when speaking her native language made me feel ill. She was so attractive it practically hurt to look at her. I noted with this thought that I had once thought almost the exact same thing about Edward's sister, Rosalie, of whom this waitress in front of me was nothing in comparison to.

As a result, I took another look at the waitress and instantly retracted my overly-generous silent compliment.

The waitress, _Claudia, _watched him over her shoulder as she walked away, but he still had barely shifted his gaze from me. His eyes were warm, gold. That meant, if my theory was correct, that he was in a better mood than usual.

I took the opportunity to get started.

"Why the cokes?"

He smirked. "After the ordeal today, you need some sugar."

I gritted my teeth to refrain from arguing against him.

"So, can I ask the questions first?"

He looked down at the table, briefly. "If you must."

I swallowed, not quite sure where to start.

"You stopped Tyler's van. You were across the lot. I know that for sure."

He said nothing, so I continued, keeping my voice low.

"You stopped it from crushing me. You are never at school when the sun finally comes out. You were a day late for this trip, which just so happened to be the last day of direct, hot sun for a week according to the forecast. You're skin is...beautifully pale, and smooth, like marble."

"You forgot ice cold." He sounded disgusted when he mentioned his skin, but I ignored him, desperate to finally lay my theories on the table.

"That, too... You never eat or drink anything either. You order food in the cafeteria and never eat it. Neither you nor your siblings. And your eyes change colour, mostly they coincide with your mood."

He seemed unsurprised by all my theories, except for the last one. "Wait, what was that last one?"

"Well..." I said, slightly embarrassed. "When your eyes are golden, like now, you're generally in a better mood. You seem crankier whenever they're darker. Like the day I first met you; your eyes were black. It seemed like you hated me or something."

"I could never..._ever _hate you, Bella. I just simply...hated myself for not having more..._control..._around you_."_

I wanted to ask him more, but I carried on, worried he'd sidetrack me. "My theory is that your eyes are black when your..._hungry."_

He looked up into my eyes abruptly then. He had not expected that.

"After all, that seems to be a general fact for all males... Even, it seems, those who aren't...the same."

He sighed, about to speak, when the waitress came with the two cokes he had ordered. "_Gracias_," he said as she set them down.

Again, the waitress let her eyes wonder, and, again, he didn't seem to notice.

"What would you like to eat?" he asked me, intently.

"Ravioli please," I said quietly. It was an automatic, boring choice, but also one of the cheapest. I wasn't going to let Edward Cullen pay extortionately for me. He was lucky I was letting him pay at all.

"If you're sure," he said, his smile smug.

"I'm sure," I said, equally stubborn.

He smiled, amused at my choice, before turning back to _Claudia. _

"_Bueño. Una __ravioles, por favor."_

I didn't hear what the waitress said then, as my gaze met Edward's again. Suddenly I crazed the feeling of his marble skin. Once I felt her presence leave, I swallowed, preparing to speak. "S-so," I paused. "Am I right?" I asked meekly, referring to my theories that I had finally voiced.

He seemed to swallow, his eyes blazing. "Indefinitely."

I breathed a triumphant sigh of relief. _Finally_ I was getting somewhere.

"Your skin," I started again, burning through more topics before he shut down on me.

"Yes?" he asked, somewhat self-consciously. His hands were in tight fists.

"It's...well, _beautiful." _As soon as the word left my lips, I could feel a blush burning up my neck to my cheeks.

He was shaking his head then. "Bella, it is evident you are exceedingly intelligent for your age, but sometimes I really do worry about your conceptions of things."

I looked up at him, bemused. "I mean it," I said, leaning forward to touch his tight fist that lay on the table. My fingers touched the back of his beautifully pale marble hand before he could pull away and I smiled to myself. No, I hadn't imagined it. He really _was_ like a remarkable greek statue. The temperature difference didn't shock me anymore, and though he was ice cold to the touch, his skin somehow still left a blazing trail in its wake. It was delicious.

I braved looking up at him, only to see him staring at my intently, questioningly. I swallowed, my trembling lips drawing up into a shy smile. "What are you thinking?" he asked, his voice low and beautifully soft, like velvet.

"That...I wish you could make you see how much I mean what I say..." I smiled, more strongly now. I ran my thumb bravely along his icy knuckle. "I'm not afraid."

Slowly, he smiled slightly, pulling his hand away uncomfortably. "Thank you," I said, before he could protest. "That's twice now."

He looked up at me. "Let's not make it a third, shall we?"

I swallowed, disappointed, but agreed.

I cast my eyes down to my coke, picking it up to swallow gulps of it, purely as a distraction. He must have sensed my disappointment, because he suddenly looked back at me softly again.

"Later, Bella," he vowed. I sensed his unspoken words; _Later_, _not here. _"Later."

I nodded once, satisfied in that moment that Edward Cullen was finally letting me in.

I ate my ravioli at a rapid pace, desperate to hear the rest of Edward's admissions about who he was. I was desperate to know if I was right. Edward asked me multiple times to slow down eating my food, but I simply denied knowing what he was talking about.

Edward didn't eat anything, as usual, and so just watched me eat instead, asking questions continually about my family, my life back in Fenix, and just about every other aspect of my life. We left swiftly after I had finished, both hoping to find a place we could talk. I was ever conscious of the fact that anyone could be listening, (even though no one appeared to be interested in us.

As Edward called us a taxi and we travelled off into the rather light night, I was anxious to get the explanations over with, just in case I had less time left than I estimated until the regime officials came for me. All I knew then was that they would wait until I was alone, away from my strong, pale protector, and then they would strike. That could mean tonight was all I had left. That thought made the panic return, so I swallowed it down again.

As we pulled up at a beautiful rural woodland area after what was at least twenty minutes in the taxi, Edward held open the door for me and thanked the driver in his perfect spanish. _He_ paid, of course, and refused to let me contribute, and then suddenly pulled me towards the cluster of trees and up a unmarked trekking path once the driver had left.

He smiled sideways at me. "Great thing about South America," he said, suddenly grinning. "There are barely any security cameras in the most beautiful of places."

I swallowed excitedly. "_Is_ that great?"

His eyes glinted cheekily in the dark. "It is in my world."

And that's when he did it. Suddenly, somehow, he had picked me up and I was on his back before I could blink. I chose this moment to speak the words that were burning on my tongue.

"I know what you are," I said, my voice small as he walked slightly up the hill through the forgery, but somehow I knew he could hear me.

"Say it," he said, his voice emotionless. "Say it out loud."

I swallowed, taking a leap for once in my life. "_Vampire_." It sounded slightly ridiculous out loud, but now as I felt his strong marble arms hold me up as though I were weightless, I knew there was no other explanation.

"And are you afraid?" he asked, stopping behind a beautiful, large tree and looking over his shoulder at me.

I looked into his golden eyes, trying to remember to breathe. "No," I said, my voice low and soft, but as firm as I could manage, because I really did mean it.

Suddenly he laughed to himself, speaking dryly to me. "Well...you really shouldn't have said that."

And then, we were flying.

Well, it felt like flying, I wasn't sure at first because my reactions kicked in and my eyes scrunched up tight against the sudden gushing wind. I gripped Edward with my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist so hard that I could feel bruises already forming on my peach-like skin. I opened my eyes slightly, only to see the blur of tree branches. I instantly clenched up my face again and buried it between Edward's shoulder blades, suddenly feeling queasy.

_Oh great, _I conceded inwardly. _Motion sickness. _

Suddenly the wind stopped whooshing in my ears, and my hair fell flat around me. I couldn't tell whether or not we had stopped, as Edward's superhuman running was as smooth as standing perfectly still, until he reached around and smoothing my hair with his hand. The soft romantic gesture made me fainter still.

"Bella," he murmured questioningly when I didn't lessen my grip on him.

"Have we stopped?" I mumbled into his shirt, desperately willing the dizziness away.

I heard him laugh; such a beautiful sound. "Yes, Bella. You can let go."

I tried, but my joints were locked from the adrenaline that pulsed through me still. He seemed to realise this somehow, and so reached behind him to pull me down with his icy hands. "Bella, what's wrong? What is it?"

I held my head in my hands, trying not to look too sick. "Nothing. Fine," I lied, disjointedly. "Just," I wheezed, "dizzy."

He pressed an icy but beautifully refreshing fist to my forehead, seemingly checking for a feverish temperature. I was about to speak to tell him the dizziness was just due to motion sickness from the run, but his forehead suddenly creased. "You're warm."

I laughed out loud at that. "Edward," I smirked, my eyes still closed. "We're in South America. Of course I am!"

I saw him smile thinly as I peeked through my eyelids for a moment, he still looked worried. "I suppose," he said thoughtfully, withdrawing his hand. "I apologise if I'm being...over-cautious. It's just...sometimes, I forget..."

I realised his meaning, but I remained silent, slowly letting the dizziness pass. Once steadied again, I lifted my eyes back to Edward. It was only then that I realised our location; a deeply set forest edge. We were high up, at the edge of what appeared to be a mountain, with the most beautiful view of Buenos Aires' city lights. I couldn't help but smile in awe of it all.

"Want a better view?" he asked, his voice soft as he carried on looking at the view as I did.

I looked at him skeptically. "It _gets _better than this_?" _

He smiled, a stunning sight. "You have no idea."

Suddenly, he was holding me, and a millisecond later, I was on his back again, making me let out a shocked breath. His eyes glinted, looking over his shoulder at me. "You better hold on tight, spider-monkey."

I laughed out loud, not caring for once what I sounded like. Nothing like that seemed to matter when I was with him. I was giddy, careless, and _free_.

And it felt sublime.

Suddenly, we had stopped again, and Edward had curled me from his back, holding me over both his arms to his chest like you would a baby.

I suddenly realised that my eyes were closed tightly again, though I couldn't remembered closing them. I blinked twice as my eyes opened, realising that it was a lot darker now that it had been before. Edward's face was merely millimeters away, his golden eyes all I could make out in the near pitch darkness.

"Bella," he smiled, his voice surprisingly loud as I had expected him to whisper. I didn't move an inch. "Do you trust me?"

I nodded hastily.

"Then listen to me," he smiled, amused suddenly. "_Don't_ look down."

I suddenly frowned, confused. "What? Why no––?" I went to look around me and felt pure dread and panic hit me when I couldn't see the ground, as well as a sudden feeling of falling. I prepared myself for the fall, but it never came.

"Hey, hey," Edward cooed, noting my near-hyperventilation, tightening his marble hold on me. "Bella, it's okay. You're okay."

"How high are we?" I swallowed, taking a look around at the tree-top we were stood in.

"Oh, I'd say..." he paused, shrugging and smirking complacently. "Maybe...thirty feet?"

I was pretty sure I choked on my own saliva at that. "_Thirty...feet?" _I squeaked, barely breathing with sudden terror.

But Edward didn't share these emotions, of course. He just laughed at me as he still held me to his chest like an infant. "Maybe more." he teased and I whimpered pathetically. He laughed. "Bella, calm down. You're heartbeat is going a hundred miles an hour, and it's too dark for your human eyes to even see how high up we are, so I don't see what's scaring you so." He chuckled again, but then sobered. "I can't promise you complete safety as long as you're with me, Bella, you have to understand that."

I frowned, turning in his arms to grip his shoulders. "But I _am _safe with you. I mean _god _Edward, can't you see that? I'm in a thirty foot treetop because of you and I'm not dead yet, am I?"

He shook his head, almost to himself. "You could be, that's my point... At _any _minute... I _am _dangerous, Bella. Never underestimate that."

My eyes were becoming adjusted to the dark, making it easier to see his face as the distant city lights slightly lit our surroundings high up in the tree. His expression was conflicted.

"Are you trying to scare me away? Because it's not going to work," I warned, truthfully.

He rolled his eyes and scoffed. "You have no idea what you're saying."

I squinted more, defiant. "You're wrong."

A small frustrated growling sound escaped his lips as he pulled me into his chest and jumped from the top of the tree down the branches to the ground. I couldn't help but release a pathetic girly yelp or two as he did so.

We landed under the stars at the edge of the woodland, facing the view again. He dropped me, and then was suddenly in front of me, looking frustrated.

"Don't you _see_? I am _designed _to appear the opposite of what I am. This shell," he yelled, holding out his arms either side of him, signally to his body. "is exactly that. a shell; it's _camouflage_. Everything about me _deliberately_ draws you in. My _voice. _My _face. _Even my _smell." _He looked at me, his face cold with stubborn frustration.

Suddenly he was two hundred meters away, seemingly disappearing and reappearing anywhere and everywhere. He then picked up a log twice his size from the edge of the trees and threw it at least 6 meters in the air over the nearby branches. He didn't even flinch. And then he was yelling.

"As if you could out-run me!" Suddenly he was right in front of me, and I fell backward in surprise, afraid. "As if you could fight me off." He growled, picking up a rock the size of his palm and closed his fingers around it tightly. When they loosened again, there was nothing but grey dust it it's place.

"I'm the world's most dangerous predator. I'm _designed _to kill," he said, his eyes burning through me as he moved closer, as though trying to change my mind about him.

I already knew my response, but I was suddenly breathless with temporary fear. "I don't care."

He looked unconvinced. "Then ask the most important question, if you will. What do we _eat?"_

I looked at him and swallowed, already determined to prove my faith in him. "You won't hurt me."

"I wanted to kill you, you know," he said lowly. "I met you, I first caught your scent, and I realised I had never wanted human's blood so much in my life..." He swallowed, suddenly drained of his anger, but he was still cautious, keeping away. "It would have been so easy. I sat there, in Biology, thinking through every possible way that I could..._lure _you away from the classroom long enough to..." He trailed off and looked into my eyes, and it was then that I could see the burning in the depths of his irises. "I could easily have killed you, and all the witnesses in the room, and would have seldom blinked an eyelid. It would have put an end to the..._torture, _but I would never be that selfish. I realised I could never do that to my family; to my _father_..."

I tried to regulate my breathing, watching his tortured expression.

"I'm _not _afraid of you," I said, my voice frustratingly quiet. I really wished I could shout just to get the message into his head. "You're incredibly fast and strong. Your skin is pale white and ice cold. You never eat or drink anything. You don't go out in direct sunlight, and you speak sometimes like you're from a completely different era... You're a vampire, but you don't drink human blood. You're loyal to your family..." I was breathless again. "Edward, really, I trust you."

He only spoke one word as the very tips of his fingers grazed my cheek for a second, leaving a burning trail on my skin. "Don't."

"Edward," I insisted, moving closer to him. "I'm here, for good. I trust you." He suddenly looked panicked as I moved seemingly too close, so he moved away from me before I could blink, towards the bases of two giant trees meters away, still overlooking the view. I followed him quickly.

"You believe the lie, Bella. You only see the camouflage. That's why you trust me so." He suddenly wasn't where I was looking anymore. I span round repeatedly, looking for him, desperately worried he'd disappeared for good. "Your scent," he said loudly, his voice suddenly coming from above me, where he was perched on a tree branch, leaning his body right over it––as though his body weight was nothing––his face inches from mine. "It's like a drug to me. I'm...nothing short of addicted to you."

I tried to smile to show my amusement. "So, I'm like...you're own personal brand of heroine or something?"

He tried to smile back, his eyes sparkled dangerously. "Precisely."

Suddenly that first day in Biology made sense. "So, _that's _why you hated me when we first met? Because I made you...crave my blood?"

"I never hated you like you thought, I could never...It's just, in my family, we're different from others of our kind. Our eyes are golden instead of red, which is not a natural characteristic, but they still turn black when we're thirsty like others of our kind. The golden irises only occur when our kind drink the blood of animals, which is what our family, and some of our friends also choose to do. We call ourselves 'vegetarians,' because of this lifestyle, sort of an inside joke." He smiled. "But when I met you, all I wanted was to break away from my family's ways _so _badly... I had to go away for a while, to gain some perspective..." He leaned in closer, and I could make out every contour on his beautiful marble face. "But I want you to know that I would _never _intentionally hurt you now that I know you, but I still don't know if I can control myself, even now."

I smiled softly at him, though he did not return it. "I know you can."

I leaned up to meet him, his cool breath brushing over my face, my lips. His breathing seemed to increase just as my thumping heart rate did, and all too quickly he moved away.

"I cannot take back the things I thought repeatedly over those few weeks when I wanted to kill you, because I did hate you then, but only for making me want you so badly. I cannot take back the fact I went away for those few weeks to try and get you out of my head... I left you alone." He was suddenly on the ground again, standing right in front of me, inches from my face. "I cannot take back the fact I'm subjecting you to life-threatening circumstances whenever you're with me.. but I also cannot help the fact I'm...not strong enough to stay away from you anymore."

I swallowed and let out a violent breath, his words shocking me to my core. Never in a thousand years would I have seen that coming.

Because it didn't make sense for Edward Cullen, such a beautiful being, to love me, and it never would.

"I apologise if I have scared you with my admission, and I completely understand that you could never feel the same for me. I could never blame you for that. Just say the word, Bella, and I won't ever bother you again. I'll leave and you will never have to see or hear from me again. I––"

"––No! You don't have to stay way from me. Please, don't." I pulled myself to him, desperate to stop him before he completely convinced himself that I shouldn't be with him.

He swallowed and moved away, pausing for at least a minute, staring at the view as we both leant against the giant tree. "I can read _every_ single mind in this world, human or vampire, every _single_ one," he turned to me, "except yours."

I felt a wave of relief and self-consciousness hit me, both at once, as I pulled my dark hair between us. "I always knew there was something wrong with me. My mind doesn't work right, then?"

I couldn't look at him, and so his laugh hit me by surprise. He was still laughing when he turned to me and spoke.

"I just told you I can read minds, and you think there is something wrong with _you_?"

I just nodded, bemused by his sudden humour.

"I really do worry about your conceptions of yourself, Miss Swan. They're terribly inaccurate."

I counted my breaths, in, out, in, out, trying to soak in all the information I had learned.

Edward _was _a vampire. Thanks to my Quilute tribe book and the internet, I had figured it out.

He only drank animal blood, but that didn't stop him from wanting my blood.

His eyes changed when he was hungry.

He _didn't_ hate me.

But he didn't trust himself not to hurt me.

He could read minds, but not mine. Never mine.

So where did all this leave me?

One thing was for sure: I hadn't imagined the red eyes of the woman on the low balcony after all. Edward had just confirmed that by telling me about vampires. I was not going to let Edward know about..._her. _He was not going to know anything about the small young woman with terrifying eyes who had been watching us from that balcony. He had evidently not seen her, otherwise I doubted very much he would have allowed me to still be in Argentina. He would never know, and the officials would come for me before he could stop them; before he could get himself hurt, or put himself and his family in danger.

Somehow, I know that the young women vampire with the red eyes and blonde hair would have something to do with my disappearance. All I had to do was find a way to get away from Edward, so that he wouldn't know where I'd gone.

Then he'd be safe.

"Bella?" Edward asked, suddenly inches from me again. "I can't read your mind." He trapped me against the tree trunk, caging me in between both his cast iron arms. "You have to tell me what you're thinking. I'm not used to not knowing..."

I swallowed. "Now I'm afraid."

Edward looked disheartened, but also bitter towards himself at the same time. "Good."

"No," I whispered. "I'm not afraid _of _you. I'm only afraid of losing you. I'm afraid you're going to disappear." I willed myself to be quiet, to stop talking, as tomorrow I would have to push him away again. I was building him up to be broken down. I was being cruel, but somehow I knew it was the only way to get him to distance himself enough from me; the only way to keep him safe.

Today, I'd let myself have his heart and I'd give him have mine.

But by tomorrow, I would be gone. By tomorrow, I'd only have memories. So I made the most of the present.

"Bella... You have no idea how long I've waited for you," he murmured then, looking deep into my eyes, his irises burning a swirling, bright gold.

There was smouldering silence between us. Suddenly, a question I hadn't asked him sprung to mind. "How long? How old are you?"

He answered automatically. "Seventeen."

I smiled, breathing heavily. "How long have you been seventeen?"

His smile dropped. "A while."

I tried to hide my shock. "So... you're an old man?"

He smiled, thankfully getting my joke. "I suppose you could say that." Slowly, his flat palm pressed against the left side of my chest, over my thudding heart.

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb..." he murmured, his icy nose grazing mine as his ice cold hand stayed gently but heavily pressed on the hot skin over my heart.

I didn't smile, I was feeling far too awestruck. "What a stupid lamb," I whispered, as his lips ghosted against my cheek.

"What a sick, masochistic lion," he replied, dropping a kiss as light as a feather on my brow bone. I was slowly finding it hard to breathe all over again.

He then lowered me, letting my head roll back, and dropped his lips to my throat, kissing me there. The feeling of his lips on me made me feel like I was going to faint again. When he withdrew his icy lips from my neck, there was a look of liberation his face. "_Amazing,_" he breathed, kissing along my jaw and up my cheek.

I had my eyes closed, unable to resist with the pleasure I was feeling. "_Yeah," _I breathed. My fingers slid up his arms and neck into his soft tousled hair, pulling onto the bronze tendrils as I drew him closer. He withdrew slightly, one hand over me heart, the other on my hip. He withdrew his lips from my cheek, staring into my eyes with an expression I couldn't read.

"Don't move," he said, his voice very soft, but authoritative. "I just...want to try something." I instantly froze as I was, stood against the tree trunk, and millimeter by millimeter, Edward leant his face toward mine. He had barely moved an inch after ten seconds. I counted my breaths...

...Two, three, four, five...

...twenty, twenty-one, twenty-two...

It was at twenty-five breaths when it finally happened.

Edward Cullen kissed me.

His icy lips touch mine, and as soon as they did, I could have sworn I was on fire. I was burning. My hands made their way to his hair, his tousled bronze locks were so irresistible I found myself tugging at them and kissing him back with everything I had. I could hear my heartbeat in my ears, pounding, and could feel my lungs burning from lack of oxygen. My head began to spin, but luckily, Edward pulled away all too soon, preventing me from passing out completely.

He pushed me back against the tree, having already jumped back at least ten feet in a nano-second.

I winced at my own eagerness, realising I'd only made it more difficult for him. "I'm sorry," I stammered.

"I..." For once he seemed unable to find words. "I didn't realise I was that strong..."

I just smiled, covering how much I was feeling guilty for not displaying any control while Edward suffered so. "I wish I could say the same, quite honestly."

He stayed where he was, then turned away from me, his gaze disapproving.

"Don't go!" I exclaimed suddenly, the words bursting from my mouth before I had really thought them through. "I'm sorry. That was my fault."

Edward turned back toward me, and just smiled, happy lines appearing around his eyes. That's how I could tell that the smile was real. It touched every muscle in him, making him even more magnificent. "You humans," he conceded, walking back towards me and gently taking my hand. "Forever ruled by your hormones."

"I don't know whether to be offended," I joked as I followed him, and he laughed, but didn't speak again. He didn't need to. I felt so happy that I was sure I would float up into the sky like a helium balloon if it were for Edward holding me to the earth; to him.

I simply felt..._light. _

Slowly_, _Edward began to lead me back the way we came. I felt relieved at this, suddenly realising how tired I was. The more I thought about it, the more I began to stumble over my own feet as well as tree roots and the heavier my eyelids became. They were drooping as Edward continued to lead me. When I almost fell completely forward countless times, and each time, he caught me, smiling endearingly. He held me over his arms again after that, gripping me tightly to his chest. This I gladly accepted in my increasing state of fatigue, even though I hated the idea of being carried. His strong icy arms were very persuasive, and before I knew it I had forgotten how long I'd been there, that is, until he spoke.

"Keep your eyes closed, Bella. I don't want you to feel ill again."

I tried to reply, but not even the simplest response made it passed my lips other than a slurred '_hummm_.'

I wouldn't have been able to tell whether or not he was running if I had wanted to, but after mere moments we already appeared to be in much busier surroundings. I could hear the distorted sound of cars engines mixed with Spanish language, so I knew Edward must be walking at human speed again as there were witnesses around. Suddenly, Edward whistled and moved me slightly in his arms, and after a few moments he was speaking Spanish someone I couldn't understand. We were in a much less humid all of a sudden, and then I could feel the vibrations of an engine. We were in a taxi, already, and to think only a minute or so before we had been up a mountain.

_Amazing _just didn't cover it.

I was fighting my fatigue then, but I wasn't winning. I suddenly began worrying what would happen when we returned to the hotel, stressing inwardly about how to explain my being carried by Edward Cullen to Jessica and Angela. After a moment, his voice stopped me.

"_Shh," _Edward soothed, his voice at my ear. He must have noted my increased heartbeat. "Sleep now, my Bella. I'm here..."

I gave in, and let a contented smile take over my face, as I didn't know if I would ever get the chance to feel this way again.

Just before slumber finally overtook me though, I held on, reluctant, not wanting to miss anything or any time I had with Edward. He began humming some unfamiliar tune that sounded like a lullaby, and then he whispered very quietly, as though to himself, but I heard, and it was these words that keep me going, even now.

"_So many of us of this earth forget that today is the tomorrow we were so worried about yesterday... But I want you to know, my love, my Bella, that the days, the months, the years, they all mean nothing to me without you..._

_ Bella. You are my life now. Never forget..."_

He seemed to sigh.

_"You're so_ _wonderfully, beautifully unique and so endearingly...human; and so perfectly irreplaceable... Goodnight, my Bella; My sweet, sweet precious lamb..." _The next words he uttered imprinted themselves into my mind for good.

_"Look after my heart tonight, my Bella. It is my gift to you. Do with it what you will..."_

I can still hear him now.

_ "It is yours." _

_–––ℬ__&ℰ–––_


	4. Part III

A/N: _Hello readers! Here's another part. Sorry, the chapters aren't particularly levelled out, but I've just be splitting it up where appropriate. Let me know what you think please! I'm so happy to see so many hits for this! PLEASE REVIEW! :)_

PEACE AND LOVE,  
x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part III_ –––_

When I woke, the first thing I noticed was that a) I was in a bed in my shared hotel room, and b) I felt..._off. _Though the _surreal _events of the night before made me want to be happy, I couldn't. My head was spinning, pounding, and my skin felt hot. I tried to swallow but I couldn't, my throat like sandpaper. Maybe Edward _had _been right last night about me being a little warm... Had I really come down with something that quickly? I tried to move, but everything ached, and the sun coming from under the curtains pained my eyes. I touched my hair where it had stuck to my face. I could feel the thin slick film of sweat on my skin as though I had had a feverish nightmare. I lifted my fingers to my dry lips and then saw were trembling.

Suddenly, I felt a lightening shock of an icy trail on my neck. A second later, _he_ came into view.

"_Edward,_" I breathed, trying to sit up, about to convince him I was fine. It didn't work, of course. He already knew.

"Bella," he breathed, his icy palms pressing to either side of my face. I physically drooped and sighed with relief, letting my eyes roll to the back of my head, surrendering to the feeling of his sub-zero temperature on my hot skin. "You're too warm," he stated, a deep 'V' appearing between his brows as he frowned.

"What time is it?" I slur, breathlessly, trying to change the subject.

"Just before 7am," he informed me softly.

"How did you sleep?" I asked, my voice still quiet but slightly stronger.

He smiled slightly. "There is so much you have yet to learn, Bella..." His voice was only just above a whisper. "For example, I don't sleep."

I blinked, and tried swallowing again, unsuccessfully. "Not at all? Like _ever_?" I breathed.

His eyes didn't leave me, his fingers carrying on smoothing my hair. "No."

I leant up a little, my shaky fingers touching the slightly discoloured bags under his eyes, realising that lack of sleep for god-knows-how long was the reason behind them. Though they were not too bold or noticeable, the purplish bags under the eyes were a characteristic single not only to him, but his siblings too. "That's," I began to wheeze, "I would never have," I tried a different sentence when I couldn't get the words out. "That must be...pretty..." I struggled, "miserable."

"Bella," he whispered, distracted. "You don't seem at all well. I'll go and tell Ms Alyson. You can stay in bed."

I gripped his shirt in a weak attempt to hold to me before he could move. "No!" I whispered back quickly, suddenly conscious of the fact that just around the alcove corner were Jessica and Angela. "I wouldn't want to miss anything, or for anyone to worry. I'm fine, really." I paused. "Are they...?" asking of my two roommates.

"No," he replied. "They're both asleep," he murmured, his voice like velvet. Still though, I tensed, worried they'd wake. "Don't worry," he soothed, rubbing a cool hand over my sweat-dried hair. I cringed, not wanting him to touch me when I looked so awful. I felt disgusting. "I can hear their thoughts long before they even react to hearing a noise; long before they even think of getting out of bed." His whisper was soothing, and I slowly lay back down.

"I really need a shower," I whisper, desperate to feel well again.

"I could lift you––"

"No," I whispered. "I don't want to risk you getting caught in here because of me."

He frowned, his fingers so beautifully cold against my skin. "I––"

Then he stopped. I felt my heart thump, instantly thinking the worst.

_It was the officials. They'd found me. _

But to my huge relief, it was something much less frightening.

"Angela's awake," he said, so low even I could barely hear him.  
I had only just had chance to blink, then he'd gone.

"Bella?" questioned the soft voice of Angela. A second or two later so appeared from around the corner. I tried to appear cheery, but knew instantly I was failing miserably. "Are you awake?"

I tried to sit up. "Yes," I whispered. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes," Angela giggled. "Except for Jessica's snoring."

My lips twitched weakly. "Oh really?" I tried to sound like I was okay. "I hadn't noticed."

Angela yawned, straightening her glasses. "So... How was it with Edward last night?" she asked, shyly. "Did you have fun?"

I smiled as best I could, thankful that she wasn't the prying type; she was just curious. "It was...interesting to say the least."

"Yes," she agreed in a whisper. "I can imagine. The whole Cullen family are so..._enchanting, _aren't they? Sounds ridiculous, but I honestly don't think there's another way to describe them."

I ran my tongue along my dry lips, trying to breath evenly. "No, you're right. That's _exactly_ how I'd describe them too."

We were both silent for a minute. "Are you feeling okay? You were speaking in your sleep earlier..."

I would have blushed deeply if I was up to it. "Oh god," I whispered, embarrassment and dread filling me, mostly because if Edward has stayed with me last night then he would have heard everything I said. "What did I say?"

"I couldn't make out any words, just mumbling."

The dread that was bubbling up in me deflated.

"Thank god," I sighed almost inaudibly. "I've been told I speak more when I'm asleep than I do when I'm awake."

Angela whispered a giggle. "I'll make sure not to listen if it happens again, then," she smiled. "Spare you the embarrassment."

"Thanks," I said, although I wasn't even sure if I had said it loud enough to be heard. My head fell back against the headboard as I felt like sobbing. I never cried, but I wanted to right then, just to let some of my feelings out. _That _was how ill I was feeling.

"Bella," Angela suddenly spoke at normal volume. "Are you alright?"

I tried to look up at her. "No," I croaked. "Not yet I'm not." I frowned. "I really need a shower."

She reached out and helped me sit up and untangle myself from the duvet. "Are you well enough for that? You feel hot."

I shook my head at her worried tone. "I'm fine," I said, taking advantage of Edward's inability to appear in front of Jessica to get out of bed. Being 'fine' really was becoming my most common lie. "I just need a shower to freshen up. I'll be okay."

She didn't seem convinced, judging by the amount of my body weight my legs couldn't support. As a result, I helplessly burdened her with my weight on the short walk to the bathroom as I stumbled along with her. She opened the bathroom door for me and turned on the light, and I made sure to avoid all eye contact with the mirror under such harsh lighting. I already knew I must look like death, because I felt like it.

Angela tapped me on the shoulder moments later as I held onto the sink with one hand. "Here are your things," she said, placing my wash and clothes bags on the floor. "There's a towel on the back of the door. Don't worry about being quick, Jessica won't be conscious for a while yet."

I would have laughed with her at this joke, if I could remember how to laugh at all.

She shut the door behind me, after asking me one more time if I was sure I was okay.

Again, I said I was fine. Again, I lied. It was becoming a matter of course, really.

Once the door was shut and locked, and I was _finally _alone, I felt my knees give in as I didn't have to pretend I was well enough to stand. Not for Angela, not for Edward, not for anyone. I pressed my forehead to the cool tiles for a moment and attempted to regulate my breathing, not quite believing my luck.

_Great, _I thought, _Just great. _I had managed to get ill on the very day that I needed to find a moment to get _away_ from Edward. What were the chances? Now, of course, getting him to leave me even for two seconds would be ten times more difficult because he now had a reason to stick with me. He would be stuck to me like glue as soon as he realised how ill I was, and then I'd have no hope in the world of getting him to let me alone...

I felt hopeless as I stripped off the t-shirt and underwear I had been wearing last night and crawled into the shower. If I had been at all alert I would have been wondering about who had taken off my shoes and shorts when I was sleeping, but it didn't seem to matter at all at that moment. I didn't believe for one minute it would have been either Jessica or Angela, so it must have been Edward who did it when we got back... The idea would have thrilled me if my head hadn't been spinning so violently.

I managed, very slowly, to turn on the water and shampoo my hair while sat on the floor of the shower. After a while, the temperature of my skin was so high I would have sworn it was on fire, though when I looked down at it I realised I had never seem myself more pale and translucent looking before. I struggled to reach to adjust the temperature to cold as my muscles wouldn't obey, but finally managed. The cold water felt like drops of ice hitting my skin, and each one made me want to sing hallelujah. After quite a while, when I was sure my body temperature had leveled, I very slowly turned off the water and then crawled back onto the tiles in the middle of the bathroom, pulling at the towel that had fallen off the back of the door. I tried to dry myself, but my muscles screamed out in protest with every movement. The towel felt too heavy to lift, my arms too weak, so I simply slipped under it, curling into a ball on the tiles.

I have no idea how long I was laid there for, because the only thing I could keep track of was the amount of shallow breaths I took, and I lost count of them very quickly. After a while, I managed to pull on my bra and panties that I had pulled from my bag before the shower, at snail pace, but that was all; nothing else seemed doable. As a result, I fell into another energy relapse after this, laying under my––now practically dry––towel on the cool bathroom tiles again. I knew I should move as it must have been at least twenty-five minutes since Edward had disappeared and Angela had helped me into the bathroom, but for some reason, both my mind and body were not listening. I liked it here, in a room where no one could interrupt the healing process. No one could ask if I was okay. No noise. Not tangling sheets. No suffocating heat. Just cool tiles and silence.

Was I going mad, lying on the bathroom floor as though it were a Hilton hotel king-size bed? Probably. But illness did strange things to even the most sane people, I knew that for sure. So I lay there, and decided to wait until someone, be in Jessica or Angela, called for me. I was in no rush to move, the feeling of sickness too great. I was making the most of my silent, cool asylum while I had the chance.

Though I was craving Edward with his icy touch, burning buttery eyes and velvet voice, I knew that the more time I spent with him, the harder the separation from him would be. I had to at least _try _and show restraint, because anything otherwise would be cruel, on both of us.

I knew the officials were coming for me, I just _knew _it, however Edward, even if he had seen the evil little woman in the cloak on the balcony at the plaza, would most definitely refuse to even acknowledge it. He was always so stubborn, just like I, and so he would never admit I was in danger. As a result of his blind attitude, I had to make sure I had a plan, because I _was _right. I knew that.

My prediction was that very soon they'd come for me and take me away, and that would be it. What would lay in store for me once imprisoned was a mystery, but one thing was for sure; this dreadful pain and suffering I was feeling now was nothing but a simple preview of what was to come.

I couldn't imagine I had much longer to live.

After an unknown amount of time, ten minutes, maybe more, there was a rapid knock at the door. "Bella? Are you okay?" Angela's voice was muffled, but loud.

"Here," I tried to say, but my voice broke. "I'm here." I sat up slowly, pulling on a blue t-shirt from my bag. I couldn't do anything else without sitting down. I had no energy.

I slowly moved toward the door on my knees, again avoiding the mirror, and took a shaking breath as I opened the bathroom door, not even caring about my lack of bottoms.

"You really don't look okay, Bella," Angela said slowly, anxious as I opened the door.

I gave up trying to move, curling into the fetal position on the tiles again. It was then that I felt the familiar siren call, the yearning of my heart; every cell in my body screaming for...him; for _Edward_.

As though she could read my mind, Angela crouched down beside me, a hand on my hot skin, looking concerned. "Do you want me to get Edward? I'm sure he could stay here with you if you don't want to go anywhere."

I was instantly tried to get up, to protest. I didn't want him to see me like this; he'd worry. However, I opened my mouth, and nothing came out. She took this struggle in her stride, frowning and quickly moving around me.

"Jessica's getting ready in Amy's room across the hall, then I'm going to meet her and go to breakfast." I gagged, the very word making my stomach churn violently. "I'm guessing you won't be wanting anything to eat, so I'm going to see if Edward can care for you while us girls go downstairs."

Again, I found I couldn't contribute to the conversation, though I wished I could.

"I'll be right back, alright? I'm going to find E––"

There was hasty knock at the door, interrupting her mid-sentence.

She left my line of vision, and I didn't even try to follow her with my eyes.

Everything hurt.

Then, _heaven_. Edward's feet came into view, then his torso and his face as he knelt down beside me. I was still locked up in a ball on the tiles, trying to breathe.

"How long has she been like this?" he asked her, his eyes never leaving my form as his icy hand agonisingly didn't touch me where I wanted.

I wanted to frown. _How long have I been like _what _exactly?  
_He pressed his palm against my face. He looked attentively at me as he leant down further, his face level with mine. "Bella? Bella, love, can you hear me? Bella!"  
"She was in here for over thirty five minutes. I knocked and called for her but it took her a while to respond..." Angela's voice sounded too quiet, even for her. "What's wrong with her? Is she going to be okay?"

Edward squinted his eyes slightly as his angel face came into peripheral vision. It was then I realised that this was not the Edward I had spent the evening with in the restaurant, not the Edward that had kissed me in the woods. No, this Edward scared me, but only because he looked...worried. A super-human, bionic vampire looking _worried_. Never a good sign.

His nostrils were flared as a frown set into his features. "Some sort of fever illness. As long as the fever is broken, she will be fine," he said, though his words were fooling no one. "You can go to breakfast, Angela. I'll look after her." I heard movements, then Edward slowly collected me into his arms, lifting me with ease. Edward turned to her, delivering a heartbreakingly sincere "Thank you," before she left. I would have swooned if I could.

However, when Angela was gone, the mood shifted in the room. Suddenly, I was lying on my bed, and Edward's beautiful cool touch was suddenly everywhere; my arms, my shoulders, my neck, my face.

"Bella, can you hear me?" I tried to speak, but failed. "Oh, Bella," he seemed to sigh in an almost forlorn nature. "You're burning up."

I tried to be humourous, though I could barely smile. "You don't say."

He growled, somewhat frustrated. I instantly blamed myself. "Sorry," I said as clearly as I could, not even trying to hide the guilt that leaked into my voice. "I'm sorry you...have to do this."

He stopped his quick movements around me abruptly. "What are you talking about? Why are _you _apologising?"

I closed my eyes against my pillow. "Because I should. Because this is my fault."

He smoothed a hand over my face. "No, Bella. This is in _no_ way your fault, do you understand?" He moved away. "If anything it's mine," he murmured, so low I barely heard.

I groaned. "Don't start that," I said, though my lips barely moved.

"I'll be right back, Bella," he said, using his flawless soft-velvet like tone of voice.

He left, and I closed my eyes, my whole body drumming with agony that didn't seem to have a source. It was as though I was hanging over a bottomless, black precipice and was slowly being dropped further and further into the darkness, only to find that there was a huge fire below me.

I suddenly felt another, stronger wave of illness take over me. I had no idea how long Edward had been gone. Time seemed to stand still. A never-ending rotation of suffering.

I could feel it then, more than ever; the invisible grip of sane, painless life losing its hold on me as I was dropped further into the torturous, burning unknown that was this sickness. It was suddenly building on top of me, as heavy as bricks and mortar; only these bricks were scolding, their heat igniting my skin. I felt myself trembling violently as the fire raced from my chest and my neck to the very tips of my toes. I wanted to scream. I could feel it suffocating me; and although I attempted desperately to keep it all in, to stay silent, biting my lip until it bled, I simply couldn't.

"_Edward_," I spoke loudly, my voice an irregular pitchy wanton wail of grief for my once healthy self. A cry for help. _Make it stop, _I wanted to beg. _Please_. _Just do it. _"Edward," I felt myself sob throatily, no longer in control of the words that left my mouth. "I'm burning. Please, Edward." Fat tears slid down my face, but I felt no refreshment from them; they were as boiling as my skin. "_Edward. Make it stop," _I almost screamed, shaking. There seemed to be no concept of time in this state. It felt endless. "_Edward, come back," _I said, though these words came out much quieter, my throat hurting painfully.I paused, blinking for longer than I needed, trying to calm myself for Edward's sake. When my eyes focused again, he was approaching me, tension now ruling his usually calm and collected expression and posture. I whimpered loudly again, a mix between his name and another word I couldn't place. I bit my tongue then, not wanting to upset him; to hurt him.

"Don't leave me," I whimpered.  
"_Shh_," he muttered, exceedingly shocked as he returned and found me this way. "Hey, hey, shh. I'm going to make it go away, Bella. I promise you. I'm not going anywhere." He then moved away, and I felt my body panic desperately at the idea he was leaving me. I tried to breathe when I realised he was still there, only just out of my vision, lifting something, and through my blurred vision it would be impossible to see exactly what. I heard a hard sound, like small rocks hitting each other as they fell down a cliffside. Then, seconds later; I felt it, the relief of a sudden numbness seeping through me despite the single blanket that covered me. The heavenly feeling was spreading across my scorching skin as Edward carried on moving around me. It was intense. I opened my eyes wider to see what Edward was spreading around and on my body.

It was then I realised: it was ice_. _Glorious_, glorious_ ice.

He was spreading the ice cubes over the blanket that I lay under. It was thick enough so the water of the melting ice wouldn't soak me through, though I definitely would not have minded if it did. He began to snap what looked like dry-ice packs and placing them around me. He disappeared from view, lowly informing me he was just turning down the thermostat. I was still burning, and whimpering quietly. I felt as though I was not in control of my body at all.

Finally, Edward stopped buzzing around me. He closed the curtains, shutting off the painfully bright light from the window. I caught the image of the side of him moving towards me. I realised he was still blaming himself for this, just as I was blaming myself for hurting him. I trembled more, my eyes clenching shut against the burning.

–––ℬ&ℰ–––


	5. Part IV

A/N: _Hey readers! So happy to see so many people reading this... It means a lot to me as I spent MONTHS on this piece altogether. Please review and let me know what you think! Will try to update tomorrow... Depends on how many reviews come in... ;)_

_PEACE & LOVE,_  
_x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part IIII _–––_

"Bella," Edward husked, his voice pained. He drifted at the edge of the bed, unsure.

I wanted to speak. I opened my mouth, and whimpered. "Edward," I whispered in reply.

He moved closer. "How do you feel?"

I gasped the air for breath. "I'm burning." He was still frowning, slowly reaching up to his shirt buttons. "What's happening to me? Everything hurts," I whispered, feeling as lifeless as a corpse. I watched with a dead stare as Edward undid all buttons on his shirt, revealing his magnificent, marble chest.

He then leant forward, moving his hand under the blankets to take hold of my upper body. "I know, Bella. I'm so sorry..." He suddenly lay a cool, moist flannel on my sweat-covered forehead while muttering something like, _"Need to break the fever."_

I simply nodded limply to show I understood, and to my joy, he then lay on the bed next to me, wrapping me up in the ice of his skin. He drew me into his chest hesitantly, almost self-consciously, as though he didn't really think I wanted to touch him. Even in my current state, I knew that was _exactly_ what I wanted.

"Mmmm," I sighed, suddenly more content as I pressed my hot cheek to just below his collar bone, the temperature difference between us fierce but welcome.

"Better?" he questioned, and I nodded, stronger this time, nuzzling into his icy skin. "Good. You really are hot, Bella. You're scaring me..." He pressed a palm to my face, and I relaxed even more at his sub-zero temperature. "You should cool down soon."

I swallowed, closing my eyes, searching my mind for a subject to ask him to distract both of us. Hearing that soft-velvet voice of his was enough of a painkiller in itself. "Edward," I murmured, my voice shaking as my body trembled. "Can the rest of your family read people's mind, like you can?"

Somehow, I knew he was trying to smile, to cover his worry. "No," he said, suddenly somewhat forlorn. "No. No, that's just me." He took a breath, running a hand up and down my burning arm. "Jasper can control emotions, and Alice can see the future."

"See the future?" I yawned, trying to stay alert. "How does that work?"

He paused. "When someone makes a decision, she can see the outcome, the domino affect if you will. She only seems the future of those she has met.. Her visions are subjective, though. That future can always change, just as people's minds do..."

I was fascinated, even when feeling so ill, by his explanations. Lead by my slow, disjointed questions, he went on to tell me about the 'frenzy' that a vampire's system went through when tasting human blood, as well as telling me about the vampire 'royalty' in black cloaks, the 'Volturi,' that made sure no vampire made a spectacle of themselves in front of humans. He then went on to tell his stories about his early life in World War I America. That made him, by my count, around 108 years old, give or take. I felt like laughing. Renée had always said I'd marry older.

How ironic. She was right for once.

Suddenly, my stomach began churning. I tried to ignore it, but it only got worse. Edward was telling me of his extended vampire 'family' that lived all over the world when I felt it: my ravioli from last night coming back up. I clenched my eyes shut, and quickly tried to get away from him. "Edward," I said, panicked. "Edward, quick."

He suddenly realised what was happening, and within a second he had moved to the bathroom and back again, returning with a plastic basin with wide eyes. I second later, I vomited my guts into it, the very sight of projectile vomit causing me vomit again. Edward was somehow holding the basin in place, as well as holding back every single tendril of my hair. His cool fingers felt heavenly on the back of my neck. His face was almost pressed against my hair.

"It's okay, Bella," he soothed. "Let it out. It's okay."

My body seemed to obey as I felt my now empty stomach churn and rise again. This time, I simply choked up nothing but stomach acid, and I cringed as it burned my mouth.

I coughed, gagging. "Go away," I moaned. "You shouldn't have to see this."

He shook his head. "No amount of vomit will keep me away from you, Bella."

I held my head in my hand. "Somehow I'm not sure that's true."

He lifted me in one arm and the sick basin in the other and suddenly we were in the bathroom. He placed me on the sink counter as I lay my head against the mirror behind me. He got rid of the sick quickly, then passing me my toothbrush with toothpaste on while holding my limp body upright with his iron hands on my waist. I brushed my teeth wearily, my eyes never straying from his calming buttery golden ones. When I'd finished, I spat lazily to my left into the sink, and turned back to him, his face suddenly closer.

"It pains me to see you like this, Bella."

I tried to smile. "What did you expect? I'm human. I'm not a heavenly immortal vampire. I get sick, especially with my klutz luck."

He picked me up, and then we were in my bed again, surrounded by ice.

"I'm not _heavenly,_" he said, disdained. "I'm...a monster."

I would have shoved him if I had the strength. "_Hardly._"

He growled, frustrated at my stubbornness. "Bella, _please."_

"No," I said, meekly. "_You _please."

He just sat stubbornly, rubbing his icy hands over me, trying to diminish the fires raging under my skin.

It took a while, but I soon fell asleep. It was an uncomfortable slumber; feverish and jittery. I felt suffocated as I couldn't get away from the heat. I had mixed up dreams, filled with images of Edward, except I was far away from him; and every time I took a step closer, he was always even further away. I screamed for him, louder and louder, but he just kept getting further. Then, there were Argentine officials and general public everywhere, a sea of black and red. The officials approached Edward, surrounded him, so I yelled for them to come for me instead. But they didn't hear me; or just refused to listen. They just subtly cornered him, so he lashed out at them, killing three or four of them instantly, snapping their necks. The members of the public had turned and seen him acting as no human could. They were all screaming in horror but still staring. They were going to go and tell others of what they had seen; they had seen he wasn't human. He wasn't safe. His family wasn't safe. Then, pale, marble figures with frightening red eyes in black cloaks came out of no where and grasped him. Vampires, and more specifically, the _Volturi_. They would kill Edward now, because he had shown himself up in front of humans; which he had only done to protect me; all because of _me_. I cried out violently from the distance between us, pleading them. This was my fault. All my fault. Don't kill him. Not him. Not my Edward. Kill the pathetic human. Kill me. _Me_.

Then a huge pale cloaked Volturi member with the red irises gripped Edward in a headlock and swung him; breaking his neck, the sound like screeching, crunching metal.

At the sound, I lunged and gagged, about to be sick, and it was as if my voice box had been severed, ripped from my throat as I tried to scream, again and again. Edward's head was separate from his body, in cloaked cold one's hands...

I jolted up in bed, trembling, my nerves racking from the nightmare, I think I had been screaming as well. I tried to breathe. Edward's icy fingers were on me, bringing me out of the memories of the dream. "Bella! Bella? Hey, hey..." he called for me, more than once, but I couldn't respond. It wasn't for a while that I realised I were murmuring repeatedly. I was certainly delusional. He was frowning, murmuring my name repeatedly, trying to speak over me, attempting to calm me.

My eyes were filled with what I guessed were tears, making my vision blurred. I was sure he was a mirage. I was stuttering then, finally able to hear my own voice clearly. "E-dwa-ard." I gripped his hand that had risen to hold my face in place. "Y-you're here."

He didn't smile, though he looked confused. "Of course I am... I would never leave you, Bella. Not while it's in your greatest interest for you to be with me."

I swallowed. "I'm so s-sorry," I mumbled almost inaudibly.

"Bella, you have nothing to be sorry for. Why are you having nightmares? What would be bothering you so? It must just be the fever..."

I slipped back into murmurings again, not quite hearing him. He gripped my face with both icy hands to bring me back. "_My fault,_" I found myself repeating. "_My Edward. Not my Edward." _

"Hey, hey! Bella, hey. _Shh_. What's wrong?" That was the first time I had ever heard Edward speak in that tone; the kind someone uses in panic when no one will reveal what indeed is going on.

I didn't feel the tears rolling down. "_My fault," _I carried on repeating, images from my nightmare staining my closed eyelids.

Edward's brow was deeply furrowed, his lips moving so fast they were almost still. "Bella, Bella, _Bella." _His arms were so tight around me, but I didn't feel any pain or discomfort. His face to mine; his forehead pressed against the side of my face as he drew me to him.

"I'm so sorry," I groaned. "_My Edward," _I sighed, seeing my ever-present depiction of Edward filling my senses. The image of him sat across from me in the Forks cafeteria, his skin glowing under the dimming school lights. His golden eyes. His sweet scent that had stuck with me since that very first day; making me dizzy. This image of perfection suddenly shattered as the volatile vision of Edward being swung round, his neck snapping like a twig in the iron grip of the red-eyed Volturi member filling my mind. The sound of the screeching breaking of Edward's neck, never mind the sight, make me feel violently sick, like I had forgotten how to breathe; it was like I was dying. His widened and agonised golden eyes all I could see. I felt my heartbeat hammering.

"Bella," he urged, his voice pulling me out of the abyss. "_Bella."_

I curled into him after a countless amount of time, suddenly fully awake. I waited... Was I awake? I felt the cool hard marble of Edward's chest against my hands. "It was just a dream," I whispered, after a while in realisation, greatly relieved.

"You were delusional; fevers can cause awful dreams sometimes... Do you want to talk about it?" he asked, wiping the sweat from my face.

"No," I whispered, almost afraid to raise my voice any louder. "I'm okay now."

I felt him swallow and sigh.

"Does it hurt?" I asked, changing the subject, my voice still shaky. I watched the wind flap the curtains lightly as streaks of mild sunlight covering the floor.

"Does what hurt?"

"Being near me."

I felt something icy pucker on my hairline, perhaps his lips. I secretly hoped so. He hesitated. "Yes... Like there's a constant fire in my lungs; through my bloodless veins."

I attempted to think this through. "So why do you stay with me? How can you stand it?"

He lifted my face from his collarbone to face him. "Because the only thing stronger than my body's urgency for your blood, is my still heart's desperate need to keep you safe; my unconditional _love_ for you."

I gulped.

"You _are _my life now, Bella. I have tried to live without you, but I have found that I cannot. It's wrong, _exceedingly _wrong, but what can I do?" I looked up, tracing his features with my gaze that was finally focusing. "I am being unbelievably selfish," he said, "drawing you into this damning downward spiral this way, and for that I will never forgive myself." He swallowed. "But I have this overwhelming..._need _too protect you. It's a necessity... I couldn't...live with myself if something..." he croaked, suddenly, "anything..._happened _to you."

I felt myself nodding. "I feel the same for you," I said, trembling.

He evidently didn't believe me, shaking his head and smirking in his usual pessimistic manner.

"You couldn't possibly."

I frowned, almost outraged. "I do!" I pulled myself upward, despite the screaming protest my arms gave, so we were finally face to face. He didn't draw back at first.

"Careful, Bella," Edward warned instantly as I moved. I ignored him.

"I love you, Edward," I said in a shaky but authoritative voice, deciding that there was no use in masking it since he had already admitted his feelings for me, much to my amazement.

"Bella," he shook his head, not believing me, _again. _

"I completely and honestly love you Edward Cullen. I know that compared to you I am nothing, but is not enough that I love you?" My brown hair was greased and stuck to me, my pale skin was paler than ever, and I was clammy all over. I decided it may not have been so kind to use the guilt trip that way, however it seemed to trigger something in Edward that I had hoped.

He smiled with a sudden sense of exultation, suddenly laughing. I felt the sudden urge to pump my fist; _I'd_ made him smile like that. Me!

"Oh Bella," he suddenly cooed, pressing his face into the crook of my neck for a second. "You are _everything. _Why can't you see how simple exquisite...how beautiful, how... There are no words."

If I had been blushing before, I was _definitely _blushing the deepest or scarlets after that.

"I am acting beyond mercenary, and for that I apologise..." he said, repeatedly apologetic. "I really shouldn't be enjoying this."

"But you are?" I asked gruffly, surprised.

He looked me in the face, his eyes dazzling me. "I treasure every moment I spend with you, Miss Swan."

I felt myself sigh with ultimate relief. I was smiling, grinning, even though my face muscles were aching. I closed my eyes almost blissfully and leant back against my pillow. "Love you," I breathed somnolently, not caring if it was too soon to throw those words out so casually. I was suddenly tired again.

"The feeling is purely mutual," he said, leaning above me. "Forever," he agreed.

I reach up and touch his cheek with my finger. "Forever," I confirmed. He kissed my brow then, smiling to himself, his eyes a darker bronze, but light; he looked happy.

"What?" I try to ask, but my throat was painfully dry.

"I just can't believe it... It's not so difficult to be with you like this anymore." He held my face between both his cool, strong hands and kissed the bridge of my nose, bringing my wrist his lips and his nose, breathing deeply. "Easier all the time," he murmured in complete wonder.

I felt my breathing speed as I inhaled his heady scent. I lay next to him, up against his icy chest again. I could feel his long, and white elegant fingers massaging my hot scalp as they weaved through my hair. He rubbed at a rhythm that stirred peace within me. My eyelids became heavy, but I did not feel a feverish sleep approaching this time. I prayed I wouldn't have anymore nightmares, as I didn't want to upset Edward with my distress. I felt myself slipping, and so I curled into him more, but not before I spoke the words I had been meaning to tell him. "Edward," I uttered, barely feeling his cool skin under me anymore. "No matter what happens," I had no idea the volume of my voice. "My heart, my mind, my soul. They're yours. I'm yours."

I must have fallen into a deep sleep, because I didn't feel his skin, or hear his response to my admission.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

When I woke again, the room was dark, and the air was cool even though the window was closed. I suddenly noticed I could feel no definite cold anywhere. No feeling of ice. No ice packs around me, no wet blanket. I did not feel so feverishly warm anymore. That did not matter, though. All I could think was:

Where was Edward?

I suddenly came across something stiff on the pillow next to my head. A letter. I looked down at it, and there I was faced with the unbelievably perfect calligraphic script that was Edward's hand.

_Dearest Bella,_

_I have gone to contact my father about your illness as he may have some valuable doctor's advice. I am also going to visit my relatives on the other side of Buenos Aires and see if they can recommend places we can visit here once you're better. I will be back by late tonight. I will be missing you every second I am away._

_I hope that you are mine, as I am yours. We are two halves of one whole. We are one. I am nothing without you._

_Be safe._

_Edward. X_

I read it twice, thrice, four times. Imprinting his beautiful, articulate words into my mind. I wanted to never forget them, as now came the end. Edward was out of the way, so now, all I could do was sit and hope if the officials were going to come to take me away at all, that they would do it now, before Edward could find out.

I folded the paper carefully into a small square and tucked it into my underwear. Maybe there was a chance it would still be with me after the kidnapping...

So I fell back to sleep after lying staring at nothing for what felt like the longest time, rather uneasily it must be said, but asleep all the same. I hoped, deep down, that I would never wake up, so that I could be left alone forever in heaven with my memories of Edward.

I received no such luck.

When I did wake again, it was not naturally. I was being pulled, roughly handled, and I instantly tried to scream at the hands grabbing at me in the dark. I felt the obscenely dominant force of the human 'flight' instinct hit me like a sudden blow to the face. The Officials had come for me, and perhaps maybe even the little blonde vampire with the red eyes too...

A hand and cloth covered my mouth and nose, and I tried not to breathe, but my body failed me. I felt my stomach drop at the terrifying reality of my situation, and my stomach spasmed with panic at the sweet smell the filled my senses from the cloth. _Chloroform. _

It seemed what I had asked for was coming true. I was such a hypocrite for resisting these assaulters, considering I had not hidden or run away from this fate that I knew was coming. I had practically _welcomed_ the idea just hours ago... But then, I reasoned with humour, I _am _only human, as Edward would say.

I felt myself drifting, then suddenly dropping, into even deeper darkness; into an even darker abyss than that of my earlier sickness. I tried with all my strength to kick out, barely coming in contact with my kidnappers at all, and let out one last scream, only it was almost completely silenced by the cloth over my face. The chloroform had become completely unavoidable, so I gave in and took in air that my trembling body desperately needed, absorbing the sweet sleeping solvent along with the little oxygen my lungs managed to retrieve. My mind was scrabbled as my brain suddenly couldn't control my body; as though it wasn't even there. I panicked inwardly, but was surprised to find I was not so much panicking for myself. I realised, this feeling of panic was more for others I knew. I wanted my kidnappers to hurry, to take me away as fast as possible, as I knew that someone was more and more likely to come and check on me with every passing second. I didn't want anyone else to be caught in this; to receive my same deadly fate.

I drifted completely in these few seconds that passed, not comprehending anything. Only one thought left in my mind.

Even though an unyielding part of me screamed and wished for Edward, the rational side of me, though quieter, told me to find some comfort in being alone in this, as their were more vital things at stake. Therefore, I kept repeating the one thing that mattered more than my own life over and over: Edward. _Thank god Edward isn't here. _

Then the sweet heady scent of the chloroform surrounded me in the darkness, like a minefield of perfume; a delicate poison.

I don't remember what happened next.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_


	6. Part V

A/N: _Hey readers... I have GCSE exams starting tomorrow, so I'm not sure when I'll be posting the last few parts of this. I promise it will be soon... But PLEASE REVIEW otherwise I won't know if you guys like it... _  
_Wish me luck with my exams guys! EEKK. I have Spanish tomorrow :/ & English Lit on Tuesday... asdfghjkl. Kinda scared. _  
_ANYWAY - PLEASE REVIEW! _

_PEACE & LOVE,_  
_x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part V_ –––_

The sound of the lock of the door groaning brought me out of my memories. My mind mistook the cool floor for Edward's skin, for half a precious second, but all too soon I open my eyes fully and realised where I was.

I had been kidnapped, and I was clad in barely any clothes and a blindfold and a gag in my mouth. My hands and feet were tied painfully with thick rope.

I was trembling with nerves as I anxiously anticipated what was to come once I heard the door open. I had already suffered a beating, my face, chest and abdomen having taken the brunt of it. I couldn't see any of my injuries, but I knew from the sharp sensation that resembled shattered glass scrapping across my chest, that something must have happened to my bones...

I dug my nails into my palms as I tensed against the cold floor, my cheek right against the concrete and hair fanned out around me. I clasped my eyes shut even under the blindfold. I wanted the earth to open up and swallow me.

When I had first woken, I had been in a moving cattle type truck, blindfolded with all of my limbs tied up. I was surrounded by other bodies, pressed together as though we were animals. I had heard mutterings of Spanish, and one other English voice, none saying anything much, just praying.

I didn't pray, as I had never been religious. I simply curled myself tighter into a ball, ignoring my numb and cramped limbs, and composed a reply to Edward's letter in my head. I kept repeating his name under my breath, desperate not to forget.

_I'm so sorry, Edward._

We were unloaded roughly from the truck after what felt like forever, and then the next thing I knew, I was here, in this old school room, where people's screams could be heard through the walls.

"_Hola Señorita,_" came the gruff voice of a stranger. His voice made my skin crawl. He was my nest torturer no doubt.

_This is how it all ends, _I suddenly thought to myself.

Suddenly there we two pairs of hands on me, lifting me, and suddenly I felt myself being placed on something cold and smooth, and metal. An incredibly morbid image filled my mind then as I struggled. _A chopping block. _

I instantly shook the image from my mind, deciding that I was frightening myself unnecessarily. The strong hands strapped me down on the table, and then began to removed my blindfold and gag.

"Let me go!" I shouted, as soon as my mouth was free. I wriggled, lifting my head I could see my hands and feet tied so I was in a jumping jack position flat on the metal table. The man in front of me didn't bother to hide or cover his face like the man behind him, obviously confident in the fact that I would not survive this day to tell the tale. He was sneering at me, and for the first time in my life, I felt incredibly and desperately self conscious. His dark hair was half shaved, and his almost black eyed gaze wouldn't leave my body. "Let me _go!" _I shouted, struggling again.

He just smirked, shaking his head. "No can do, _Señorita,_" he sneered in a heavy Argentinean accent.

"Why?" I asked, stupidly. "It's not like I can go anywhere. Just untie me!" He didn't respond. "Why am I here? Why are there so many prisoners? Did they all accidentally speak out against the regime too?"

He didn't reply, but laughed to himself, as though it was all one big joke. Then, he suddenly stiffened as the door opened and a small figure entered. I felt myself tremble harder. It was the small pale blonde girl with the red eyes in a black cloak. It was _her_. The vampire from the plaza. "Some of them," she spoke, answering my earlier question, nearing me. Her voice was unnerving. Beautiful just as Edward's was, like a perfect symphony, but also chilling and hair-raising. "Some have done even less than that."

I choked on my words, but suddenly found my voice. The Argentine men left, leaving us alone. "Who are you? Let me go! Let me _go_!"

She smirked for a second, then her face blanked. "Of course," she said, continuing as though I hadn't spoken, "You don't realise it was not what you said in the plaza that brought you here."

I frowned. "It wasn't?"

She began to adjust some of the deadly-looking equipment beside me. "Well, it was a _little_, however it seems that there is someone higher up that holds a grudge against the family of that boyfriend of yours." She seemed to bask in my terror as I watched her lips form the one word I had hoped she wouldn't say. "Edward Anthony Masen Cullen," she said, smug. "Isn't it?"

I huffed, suddenly feeling sudden gripping dread that we had been followed and a human had seen Edward displaying his inhuman abilities. But then, why would they capture me and _not_ Edward, and why let the Argentinean humans do it? This blonde, red-eyed vampire had an American accent much like Edward's: articulate.

I was suddenly angry. How dare they drag such a beautiful man into this?

I almost lunged at the temptress in front of me. "I, you've––Leave Edward _out_ of this!"

She smirked beautifully. "Why? It _is, _after all, indirectly his fault you're here; his family's fault. His..." she paused for deliberate dramatic effect, "'_relatives' _are not liked in the higher ranks of Argentina's government. They used to be powerful, as they have been around for a long time, but have made a point not to be supportive of the current regime. Since this family are so tightly bound to the Cullens, we thought perhaps taking you from the Cullen's precious 'first born' will get their attention."

I shook my head, disbelieving. "_Why? _What does it matter to you? Why can't you just leave them alone? They're harmless! They just want to exist! They haven't done anything!"

"Our kind have powers in high places in almost every country in the world. Most are just idle by-standers, but at the moment, while Argentina is so pathetically weak in this current human regime, we're taking the opportunity to step in..."

She came so close to me that I could see the marble flawlessness of her skin. Her red eyes haunted me. I made sure to suck on my low lip to keep any of my blood from dripping. "Since these humans seem to insist on killing, we're simply taking advantage of the huge amount of Argentine..._cuisine _has increased for our kind."

She smiled as I gagged at the mental image of countless of bloody corpses piled up high, and this, seemingly 'sweet' red eyed young women with their blood all over her face...

She carried on. "That is beside the point. Your boyfriend is also risking his very existence by being with you. We took it upon ourselves to remove you before anything drastic occurred that would lead to Edward's unnecessary death... He _is _one of Aro's favourites..."

My mind reeled. _Aro. _I recalled the name from the stories Edward had told me in the hotel room before my nightmare. Aro was the vampire royalty, the Volturi's, leader, and old friend of Edward's father Carlisle. I blinked rapidly. This whole thing went an awful lot deeper than I had realised.

"You also know too much about us," she said, careful not to outwardly reveal anything. "You are considered a liability," He blood-red eyes were cold, "and the Volturi do not give second chances."

She turned with another cloaked member I hadn't noticed before, a large male, to leave, and for some reason I quickly spoke up.

"Wait!" I swallowed. "If I die, will he live? Edward?"

She turned partially, the same nonchalant expression on her face. "As long as he does not do anything rash." Her eyes circled, her voice a strange calm. "Which I cannot guarantee once he finds out you'e dead..."

I felt hysteria bubble like lava in the pit of my stomach as I reached near hysteria. "_No_! What do you _mean_? What are you going to do to him?"

She turned to me one last time, her voice sweet, though her eyes sparked with morbid enjoyment. "It's more a matter of what he will do to _himself._.. I'm sure if this love he claims for you is true, he will not plan to outlive you by long."

After everything, I realised then I had not saved Edward by victimising myself after all, because it was not _me_ that had caused all this. It wasn't me at all... I'd had it all wrong. I had achieved nothing. I had fallen into their trap without so much as a fight. I had practically handed myself over, thinking I was doing the right thing, only to find that I was just a pawn in whatever vampire/human games went on secretly within the Argentinian regime. I was the tool of emotional blackmail. If I had fought against being taken, if I had shared with Edward seeing this blonde petite vampire at the plaza, then he would have insisted we leave for home...where we both would have been safe.

But no, I hadn't done any of that. Like the out-of-place human I was, I had yet again done the opposite of the ordinary; stepped out of line. Yet again, I had ruined everything.

My body seized at the thought of Edward committing the '_S' _word; suicide, taking his own life. I couldn't comprehend it; my mind blocked the very idea from materialising in my mind. I could barely even think of it. The very thought took me back to my feverish nightmare in the hotel room. The sound of Edward's neck crunching had sounded so_ horrifyingly_ real, and the memory of that alone made me gag. My breathing was so rapid my head span as the idea of any form of life without Edward filled my mind.

I_ had done this_, I reminded myself. I deserved what was coming to me now. _I, _and I _alone _had done this.

The chilling, red-eyed women left me choking on the idea of Edward's lifeless body, as my torturers closed in.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

My body curled, arched, as a gut-wrenching, bloodcurdling scream filled the room. It took me a while to realise that this nauseating sound was in fact mine. I tried to bite my lip, not wanting to give the torturers around the the satisfaction of my scream, however, I couldn't terminate the human instinct within me. It wash't my fault, after all, as Edward liked to say; I was so typically human. The torturers had held me down and stripped me completely, and after I while I had given up kicking against them. They had tied me down again and were shocking me with electricity that burned my skin and fried my nerves. They were demanding 'Who I was working for' and 'What I was doing here' and I couldn't answer if I tried. Obviously whoever tipped me off, vampire or not, gave the impression to the Argentine regime I was some kind of spy.

"Talk!" the torturer with black eyes growled as he heightened the voltage of the shocks through my body. I screamed hysterically, my body automatically jackknifing upward, only to be pressed back onto the table by the restraints holding me. I choked, as the metal prongs were taken off me for a moment. I gasped for breath as more and more tears filled my eyes, and rolled heavily down over my temples and into my hair. There were so many that my throat began to clog. "_Stop!" _I tried to scream. "I don't know anything! _Please! STOP!" _

When they replaced the shock utensils, nausea filled me as they connected them to the most intimate parts of my body; my breasts and then, even lower. I was about to vomit, and so threw my head to the side so I wouldn't choke. I vomited onto the table by my head. The whole thing was repulsive. I knew what was coming as my unfocused eyes looked at nothing in the small, sweaty and humid school room. They attracted the metal to my nipples, which was a painful, sharp pinching sensation, and then horror filled me as I felt the cold metal being attached to the sensitive skin of my vagina as well. I was yelping, almost like a tortured puppy, begging then not to do what we knew was inevitable. They were sniggering, and their was a pause...

Then they turned on the shocks higher and stronger than ever.

I could no longer hear the screams of others like me through the walls.

I didn't even hear my own screams.

The pain was so intense it filled every space, every corner of my existence as my body convulsed and spasmed violently.

In that moment, if I could, I would have begged for death. Death would have been a merciful release, even if it's consequences were not.

The hot, acid like pain was a never-ending cycle. I could no longer feel where the electricity started and where my body began.

I blacked out, not coming round for a long time I supposed, because when I did, the room was dark

Then it all got worse.

I could feel the rawness of the already bleeding and blistering skin of my breasts and between my thighs. I could move without wanting to cry out. _Oh god. _I closed my eyes, not wanting to look at it.

All but one of my torturers left when they received no answers from me. But the deathly eyed one stayed behind, and began to take advantage of my limp helpless body laid on the torture table. I had my eyes closed even after I came round again, and that when he first started touching me; much like the way I had once hoped Edward would touch me. I tried to resist, pushing him away, unable to speak. He had already removed his pants and underwear I sensed, but I didn't look. He climbed on top of me on the table, his knees pinning down my arms. His whole body weight was completely on me, but the pain of such a trivial thing was nothing compared to what I had experienced by now.

I tried to wriggle away, ignoring the screaming protest of my scorching skin, but his body pressed then against fresh burns and I yelped out uncontrollably, choking. His hand grasped a painful handful of my hair, as he hissed, _"Who are you?" _I knew exactly what he said, but he leaned closer as he spoke, pressing even harder on my burning skin. I didn't know where, as every cell in my body was screaming, but I just knew he was causing it. I yelped louder.

"G-g-g," He leaned closer to hear what I was about to say. If I hadn't been barely conscious, I may have felt almost smug. Once he had leant his ear right to my mouth, I breathed almost inaudibly. "_G-g-get _the _f-fuck _o-off of m-m-me!"

He growled, obviously hoping for information. "_Chingate, puta__!__" _His disappointment turned to anger instantly, as his fists came in contact with my face, my head. After a few punches, I felt weightless, knowing I was now bleeding from my head again, somewhere.

It was then he advanced, resuming his straddling position on top of me. He began to aline his lower body with mine, and I knew, despite my near sleeping state, what was about to happen.

Not only as I going to die, but I also was going to die with my innocence stolen and in ruins.

This evil torturer I had never met was going to rape me, and then leave me to die, and of all things, all I could think of was Edward, and how glad I was in that moment that he would never know what happened to me.

It would spare him at least a little nauseating despair and unnecessary grief.

It sounded odd, but in that moment I also felt glad. I was grateful that Edward would remember me as I was: Warm, calm and clumsy, with practically translucent skin, and a fragile beating heart.

My torturer was fumbling above me, and I was almost so far gone that I barely noticed he hadn't intruded my body yet. I desperately tried to back away from him further, but my limbs were still bound. He looked down into my face and I instantly clamped my eyes shut. I felt his hand, his fingers, on my left breast, on the hot and ragged burnt flesh of my nipple. I let out of noise I cannot even attempt to name, as the pain was like hot shards of glass shooting through me. He then deliberately squeezed the burnt flesh there with all his human fist strength, and I couldn't contain my pleas for him to stop. It was the the second time I had spoke in front of him this entire time. "_Stop! Please! Stop... Please-I'll-do-anything!" _It came out as one whole mash of words as blood dripped over my brow from my head wound––maybe _wounds––_and obscured my vision. I squinted.

He sniggered at my pleading, his eyes leering over my body. I felt grimy from the countless hours I had been stuck in this room, and sick still from the fever I still hadn't recovered from. All of it was too much. I found myself wondering how I had managed to hold on so long.

"Please," I said, my voice not even strong enough to be a whimper. "Please just kill me."

The words sounded odd, alien, yet one hundred per cent fitting with my train of thought. He looked down at me with an intensity and I didn't wish to acknowledge.

He smirked, simply replying, "Not until I am done with you."

I closed my eyes as he began to move, intent on violating me in the worst way. Again, one thought crossed my mind:

_This is where it all ends. _

It was then that I heard it, and, by the halting of his movements, I realised, so did my torturer. The sound of unwanted commotion somewhere within the building. Not the the usual sound of torture induced screams, no...it was more shouts of exclamation. Almost like a warning, that someone unwanted was coming...

Suddenly, the man had pulled his underwear back up and was pressing his hands with all his strength against my throat, trying to cut off the air to my lungs. I was suddenly asphyxiated, and on instinct my arms twitch as they tried to involuntarily flail, only they were still bound, so could not aid me in my struggle. I was totally defenseless. I felt the burning of my lungs and I realised with growing panic that I was fighting a losing battle. I couldn't breathe, and it was evident that my torturer was trying to kill me so that I would not be alive to tell my ordeal to whoever had just busted into the building. I had to be silenced, and so far, it looked as though I would be. I could hear the choking noises bursting from the back of my throat, short and sharp. My eyes bulged as my mind began to drift, much like it had with the chloroform. I felt the exceedingly irresistible magnet-like pull of an endless sleep, and I was more than willing to obey after all the pain I had gone through.

I knew then, I was ready.

Death was peaceful, more than easy. Life was the hard part.

The abyss began to absorb me; after all the years of asking, the ground was finally going to 'open up and to swallow me whole.'

If there really did turn out to be a heaven, then at least I could move on to a place where, perhaps, I could be with Edward forever. My white angel in hell.

As I felt my torturers grip ease the tiniest fraction, I realised I wanted to end my life with my love's name the last on my lips. So I did. I spoke Edward's name as loud as I could from my scorching throat, using the last of my oxygen to do so.

I had never given much thought to how I would die.

Having said that, never in a million years had I expected it to end like this, but I'd decided that dying in the place of someone I love, seemed like a good way to go.

I felt the pull of deaths siren call, and this time giving into it was almost as easy as breathing, and I made no attempt to resist.

After that, there was no more.

Just me, and Edward, in my happy place.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_


	7. Part VI

A/N: _Yo guys... I hope you like this one. The hits I've been getting in one day for this is UNREAL. Please keep this up, it makes me so motivated to write more stories! I have many MANY Edward/Bella ideas flowing right now..._  
_But first, GCSE English Lit... :( _  
_PRAY FOR ME. MAKE MY WEEK AND REVIEW PLEASE. It'd make me so happy. :/ _

_PEACE & LOVE, _  
_x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part VI_ –––_

Then, in the darkness, it came.

_Air_. Glorious, vital oxygen that filled my lungs which still burned. The scorching caused a couching and spluttering sensation that made snatching the desperate clutches of oxygen even more taxing. After a few moments, I began to feel my body, and that's when I knew I wasn't dreaming, or drifting, or anything of the sort.

I tried to open my eyes, and it took a few tries, but once I did, I never wanted to close them again.

There, above me, was a pale, marble creature; a man, stronger than any other predator on earth yet as gentle and old-souled as a wise elderly man. His bronze hair was stuck up in all directions, yet looked like perfection. His eyes were complete solid bronze, with a completely distraught look deep within them. His marble skin was just the same, though the rings under his eyes were a dark maroon colour, and much more profound. He looked completely forlorn, but still a hundred times more beautiful than I remembered.

There, above me, was Edward.

Suddenly, I began to hear the sounds around me as my senses began to return, though I was too tired and lightheaded to keep my eyes open. Instead, I listened.

"_BELLA!" _His voice was distant. It came closer._ "Bella! Bella, please... Open your eyes, Bella... Can you hear me? Bella! Oh god, please, no. Please, please, please..." _I felt despair roll off him in waves as he mumbled almost incoherently. I couldn't pinpoint where his voice was coming from, but I knew it was rough and filled with desperation. I felt the sensation of material covering my skin down to my thighs. It touched the countless areas of scorched flesh as it moved over me, causing me to wince so violently that it came out more like a series of breathless chokes and splutters.

Edward, sounding relieved that I was reacting, cooed me as he heard my cries, but did not speak to me directly, evidently too hysterically distressed to trust himself to speak. "_Eleazar_," Edward's velvet voice finally choked, sounding almost like a cry for help, and I was suddenly on high alert as he sounded as though he was in agony.

Another man's voice, older, sounded. This was Eleazar, I guessed. "Your father and I will deal with the torturers, Edward. I acknowledge that you feel the need to take your outrage out on them, but I do not need to remind you, you still _have_ Bella. She's alive. Hear her heart, Edward! We need to get her out of here to treat her wounds."

"_I'm_ not moving until they're all dead," Edward's voice was a hissing growl.

"We cannot kill them all or there will be no torturers for the investigative services to find! They cannot be found dead, or they will be mistaken for victims."

Edward snarled with what I guessed was frustration.

"Your father and I will deal with all this. Get her out of her, Edward. She's going to bleed out, and if she does we will only have one other option.. Go. _Now!"_

The next thing I knew, Edward must have been running, because he curled me into his chest like and infant, and I felt the cool air whip over my bare skin almost painfully. My hair was wild, flying everywhere, other than that that was stuck down from my blood, and I desperately tried to stay awake. I had been more than ready to die only minutes before, now, I had to grip to my mortality with all I had. I really was starting to feel woozy. It was like no matter how much oxygen I breathed in, it wasn't enough.

The light-headedness and the blood still dripping down into my eyes were the last things I remembered, before I fell into an unconsciousness I had not seen coming.

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

_ "Alice," _a voice rose, desperate. "How long?"

"Two minutes at most." There was a pause. "You did the best you could, Edward. You weren't to know that Jane was behind this."

"I should have been... It's all because of me. All of this." The beautiful male voice sounded exasperated. "How _long_, Alice?"

"Patience, Edward. Give her a minute. She's trying to figure out what's what..." There was yet another pause. "She can hear us now."

There was movement, then a cool, icy sensation somewhere on me. "Bella?" It was _His _voice. I wanted to weep; he sounded beside himself. "Bella? Can you hear me? I am _so _sorry, Bella. Words cannot describe... I should have stayed with you. I shouldn't have left you alone, thinking..." There was a choking sound again, almost like a dry sob. "I'm so sorry, my love. Forgive me..."

Suddenly, there was another presence in the room. "Edward," calm the deep, older male voice, a voice so calming it had to be heard to be believed. "You blame yourself as a matter of course when in fact _none_ of this is your fault. Not one of us thinks so. Bella will not think so either. You are my son. I believe in you."

I felt myself swallow hard, gasping for moisture as my throat was as dry as the Sahara.

"Water? Do you need water, Bella?"

I couldn't reply. There was movement for a second at most, and then I was being helped more upright. Suddenly there was moist on my lips, and I swallowed the water eagerly. It was only then that I could find my voice. "E-edward," I wheezed.

Instantly, I felt icy hands on my cheeks, then my shoulders and hands. "Yes, I'm here, Bella. I'm here."

Shakily, I lifted my weighted eyelids, and as light poured in, I instantly shut them again. I tried again, determined to see Edward with my own eyes; to know he was really there. This time, it was easier. I blinked an awful lot, clearing my vision, and once it was clear, I saw him.

My memory before I had blacked out had been right, he _did_ look awful, if it was possible for an angel to look awful that is. The bags under his eyes were still much darker and contrasting than usual, his hair was stuck up in all directions as though he had gripped it with his hands. He was wearing the same clothes I had last seen him in, in the hotel room. His eyes were golden, he had obviously been to feed, but they were not the usual warm, swirling buttery ochre - they were solid bronze, with stress and worry.

Even with all these alterations, he was still the most beautiful creature I had ever seen.

"Edward," I said, my voice still croaking. With that, began the waterworks; fat, heavy tears fell from my eyes and went falling down my temples where I lay. "You're here," I squeaked. "You're o-okay." His expression was warm, as though I had enveloped him in on huge warm hug, although, he looked slightly mystified at my words.

"Oh, Bella," he let himself smile. A tight smile, but a smile all the same. "Of course _I'm _okay. It's you you should be concerned about, you ridiculously fragile human." He was smiling as though he was fighting back tears, even though it wasn't possible for vampires to physically cry. His facial expression was much the same though; one that resembled a human man who had just been told he wasn't dying after he had been told otherwise. "You're alive," he said, with a sense of wonder in his voice.

"I would _never_ l-l-leave you," was all I could manage in reply through my tears, as I tried to sit up, gasping through the pain of my injuries.

"And I you," he agreed, his voice deep and rough with emotion, somehow sounding equally teary and robbed of speech, though I had no idea how that was possible. "Hey, hey, easy!" he exclaimed as I tried to sit up quickly, gasping for air through the pain. He then leant up and forward, over where I lay in a bed, and kissed my forehead in a slow, deliberate motion, laying my back down. I wanted to whoop with joy at the feel of his lips on my skin, something I had been sure I would never feel again. "I'll never..leave you..again," he said lowly, clearing his throat in an attempt to clear the gruffness from his voice. His kissed my forehead again, then again, and I felt his gentle right hand just below my collarbone, over my thudding heart; his trademark gesture.

I was suddenly aware of others in the room, and looked around to see Edward's dark-haired, pixie-looking sister Alice, his mother, I guessed, and his equally beautiful blonde father, the doctor, Carlisle. They were all so bewitchingly ravishing, with their pale marble skin and buttery eyes. I felt positively plain next to them.

"Bella," Carlisle, dressed casual clothing, spoke first. I realised as he looked next to me that I was wired up to a drip, and a heart monitor, yet I didn't feel as though I was in hospital. "You're heart rate is level, and the good news is, you no longer have the fever Edward described to me while you were in Argentina."

Alice and Esme smiled dazzlingly at me. "We'll just be downstairs, Bella, if you need us."

I nodded, truly appreciative. "Thank you."

They left, just before Alice stole a extremely tight and strong hug.

Once they had gone, I decided to face reality. "What happened? How bad is it?" I asked, quietly.

Edward grimaced, obviously not wanting to relive it.

"Tell me," I insisted, "Please."

Carlisle came to sat the other side of me, speaking softly. "You have suffered two deep head wounds, a hairline fracture, severe bruising to your abdomen and throat, four fractured ribs..." he stopped.

I looked at Carlisle, only to see him looking intently at his son. I followed his gaze and looked to Edward, only to see him turned away, not wanting me to see his inner turmoil while hearing what happened to me. I reached out to touch his face, and a second later he turned to me appreciatively, caressing the back of my hand with his icy fingers as he held it in his. Carlisle looked equally fraught with discomfort at the words we all knew he would have to say. I prompted him. "And?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, then regained his composure. Edward, however, didn't even try to appear at ease. He had his eyes closed, his expression pained as his nostrils flared and his frown set in.

When Carlisle spoke, you could practically feel the shock waves through the room. "You have second degree burns to your breasts and genital areas, as well as on the tips of your fingers. This could only be caused by––"

"––Electric shocks," I finished for him, and both men either side of me looked surprised. They had obviously expected I wouldn't remember would had happened to me... Either that or that I wasn't conscious to begin with.

"You were very lucky to survive your ordeal, Bella. I'm just sorry we couldn't have gotten to you sooner," apologised Carlisle, earnestly.

"You saved me," I said, frowning at their ludicrous ideas, "Both of you, and––Eleazar was it?––That's all that matters. I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Hours ago you were barely that," Edward said inwardly, almost as though he had forgotten we were here, his voice neutral, emotionless, frustrated.

"Edward," Carlisle said, his voice a warning to silence his son.

Carlisle rose, telling me he was here if I needed more painkillers. I thanked him from the bottom of my heart, and he smoothed his hand over mine, a fatherly gesture, before leaving the room with more grace and beauty than a ballet dancer.

There was silence as Edward was still like an unmoving marble statue under my fingers. "What happened, Edward?"

With a face still like thunder, he pulled his chair as close to the bed as possible, taking both my hands in his. "I went to my relatives house to contact my father, and then got caught up in a conversation with Eleazar and the rest of my cousins, that left me on edge. They said that recently they had been hearing of trouble brewing in the regime, and it was not because of any human doing... Our cousins, Eleazar, Tanya, they are like us in that they practice of concept of 'vegetarianism,' and so they refused to have any part in the supporting of human kidnappings just so that the human regime could 'keep control' and the vampires in the regime could feed. They don't live there all the time, they have multiple South American homes that they pass between, and it was when I visited them that they told me they were planning to leave Argentina because there was too much pressure from strong figures of our kind the back the cruel regime... They said they had even seen some members of the Volturi circle become part of it."

"The little blond one with the red-eyes––Jane?––Is she one of them?"

He swallowed, looking away for a moment. "How do you know about Jane?"

I didn't want to give him the gross details, but I couldn't lie to him. My ignoring the truth almost killed me; killed us both. Never would I lie to Edward again. "She came to see me after I was kidnapped. She told me the reason I was taken was not because of what I said at the plaza, but because Eleazar and his family were powerful residents of Argentina but not co-operating. So, they took me to get both your covens attention..."

Edward blinked, something his body did not require as a necessity, and then looked right at me.

"She was telling you the truth. That is why they took you. Your loose words at the plaza were just a lucky coincidence they used to convince the humans in the regime, that think they're in charge, that you needed to be removed." He paused. "I came back from their home feeling like something was wrong, my senses were running haywire all over the place. I couldn't get to you fast enough. Then, on my return, I caught sight of Jane's scent before it disappeared out of the city, and I knew something was wrong. That was her mistake. When I came back and found the room turned upside down and you gone, I knew Jane must have something to do with it. There were no way it was that much of a coincidence. For a moment I couldn't think. I could smell the chloroform and your scent mixed in with it... By Jane leaving her scent behind I knew she must have been helping whoever called the shots, so I contacted Alice. Alice looked into Jane's future and saw her surrounded by sand, so we knew you must have been taken out of the city..." His jaw clenched as he seemed to suddenly crave closeness. He ran his hands over my shoulders and my face, then held my chin and looked into my eyes with his buttery golden gaze. "I only found you by chance, Bella. Alice couldn't see your future anymore, and the last she'd seen of you, you were surrounded by children's' drawings... I had no idea where to turn, that was until we came across the abandoned school in the mountains... I thought it was empty, because all the locals we knew and spoke to said it hadn't been used for at least sixty years... We found it by chance, while trying to track Jane, and the grounds _did _appear to be empty..." I tried to memorise every contour of his face as he spoke. "But we knew it couldn't be. Not when we smelt all the blood from a mile away." My heart sped as my mind created imagery to match his words and I cringed at the thought, which hurt with all my injuries, causing me to wince violently, spluttering. "_Shh," _he cooed, laying a cool palm of my forehead, while sliding his other hand under the blanket to rest over my heart.

With that, Edward was silent again, neither of us speaking for a while. We both just listened to the thudding of my heart.

"It took all the limits of my control to enter that school. It was even a challenge for Carlisle, and if anything, my father is the_ ultimate_ figure of control, to the point where his need almost isn't there... I heard his thoughts though, in that school. He was struggling too; torn between his body's built-in desire for blood and the need of his sub-conscious to help the suffering. There were so many people there to save, so many helpless, defenseless, _innocent_ human beings being killed by their fellow man... There were so many victims you can't even imagine, so many being killed, so many already killed, so many already buried..." Edward's expression softened with affection as he mentioned his kind mentor and father. "My father was almost driven mad, with so many suffering all at once when he only has one pair of hands; he had no idea here to turn, who to save first. He and Eleazar used our kinds' skills of speed and strength to interrupt and stop every torture session we came across. I, on the other hand, was much more self-centred. The moment I pinpointed the scent of your blood, I panicked and ran. I ran through that school and rammed down that torture chamber door in one second flat, and even then I was almost too late..." Then, suddenly, came the choking sound again. It was almost like sobbing as it escaped from the back of his throat dryly, though no tears could ever appear. My eyes filled with tears at the sight of my protector so broken. Again I found myself thinking, _I did this to him. _

"When I kicked in that door and saw that _monster _about to violate you in that way, strangling you, I..." His gaze met mine, and I could have sworn I saw the same teary, glass-eyed expression staring back at me. He closed his eyes in memory. "I couldn't control myself. I killed him then and there, Bella," he said, ashamed of himself. "After what he did to you, he is the only human I have ever truly hated. The only being in my whole existence I hoped would be damned to hell... And even now, I cannot find the strength within myself to be sorry for it."

I moved my head to the side on my pillow and looked up at him. "I'm not going to hold it against you, Edward. No one will... All I know for sure is that if the roles were reversed, I'd..." I let my comment hang in the air between us.

"When I saw you covered in blood, and scorched and burned," he recoiled and flinched as he spoke, obviously struggling to get the words out. "_Bound _in that way with no means of escaping..." He choked again, and paused, trying to regain composure. "If you had died..." He aliened his face with mine, our foreheads touching, his voice barely recognisable. "There are no words for what that would do to me."

I closed my eyes, filled with sudden guilt. "I have a confession to make," I croaked, my throat sore. Edward instantly poured me more water and held it to my lips, letting me drink. He frowned with confusion as I spoke. "I saw...Jane that day at the plaza. I didn't know who she was then, but...I saw her watching me, watching us, from one of the far balconies... She terrified me so much I just...couldn't tell you..."

Edward smiled, as though this was trivial. "It doesn't matter, Bella. How were you to know who she was? It's not your fault."

"Yes it _is my _fault!" I said, suddenly forceful and angry, trying to sit up despite the pain in my chest. "I knew, since that moment I spoke out at the plaza, that they were coming for me. I saw it in Jane's face, her smirk, I _knew_! I didn't tell you and I knew... I let this happen..." I hid my head in my hands, close to tears.

Despite my admission, Edward wasn't angry. He just moved around me, to my other side, and pulled my face from my hands. "May I?" he asked, referring to the space next to me in the bed.

I smiled for the first time in what felt like centuries, and replied dryly. "Like you even have to ask."

He swiftly but carefully climbed onto the bed, lying on his side, facing me.

I looked around me at the white, light room with big windows. "Where..." I frowned, "Where am I?"

Edward smiled. "My home," he said, sounding wise.

I blinked, shocked. "Your _home? _As in, as in _Forks_?"

Edward's warm and soft smile was finally back, referring to the woodland outside the big windows. "Well, technically we don't live _in _Forks..."

I sudden thought occurred to me. "What about Charlie? Where does my family, our friends, where do they think I am?" I gasped again, ignoring the pain. "Oh _god!" _I tried to breath, but the pain spasmed in my chest, and I had to pause for a second. "What do they think happened to me? You didn't tell them––"

"No," Edward interrupted. "No, shh, don't worry. They think you came with me to my cousin's house while I spoke to my father about your condition... We got there and had been caught in the rain, so you went to have a shower and a lie down. You were still wet from the shower when you went to plug in the lamp and, like so many others before you, you had your finger on the metal prong as you put it into the live socket in the wall... An electric shock from the mains threw you across the room. Believe it or not, it actually is a common accident for humans."

I swallowed, laughing, the whole thing so far from the truth is was comical. "That sounds like me."

Edward laughed quietly, a gorgeous sound, and agreed. I had missed seeing the squinting around his eyes when he was really laughing.

"Do they think," I began, my voice impossibly quiet, "that we're still in Argentina?"

"They think you're a private hospital in Columbia. Our classmates are still in Argentina, and they won't be back for few days... Which means you can rest until you are expected home."

We both chortled at the whole thing, which seemed bizarre considering all that had happened over the last forty-eight houses. I looked up at Edward as he neared me. His hand slowly and carefully came in contact with the side of my face, a thumb tracing as he eyed the stitches I hadn't noticed before on my hairline. My body seemed to almost judder as I became conscious of all the pain in my body. My ribs were wrapped and packed up tightly to the point where it was hard to move at all, or breathe. My burns had been soothed but still stung furiously like sparking flames under the gauze that were covering them. My head was heavy and achey. I was suddenly struck by how much it hurt to move.

"Ow," I croaked, breathlessly as I turned my head into his icy palm. He looked at me, questingly. "Everything hurts," I explained, hiding the pain with a chuckle. This wasn't a complaint, but a statement of fact.

Edward cooed understanding, his voice low, as always, "I know, Bella love, I know. I'm _so _sorry." He frowned, running a hand down my neck and over the contours of my side, coming to rest on my bandaged ribs. "Do you need more morphine?"

"No," I said, automatically. "I like the pain," I said, even though I knew he'd find it preposterous. "It means I'm alive; that I can...feel."

I saw his chest heave at my admission. "I understand," he whispered, his lips on my brow as he put his arm around me, his marble bicep under my head. "You don't have to worry anymore. What you did was unbelievably stupid. You sacrificed yourself for a monster... But that also makes you beautifully human... I cannot admire you enough for your courage, even though this whole thing was totally unnecessary..."

I reached up, slow so he would have warning, and slowly pressed my lips to his cheek. He silenced, and seemed to melt into me, kissing my opposite cheek. His hands ran up my back, ghosting his fingers over the hospital gown I was clad in. He kissed my jaw, and then finally my lips, and I couldn't breath. This time though, it was a good feeling. I took handfuls of his bronze hair and marveled to myself as it slid, silky smooth, through my bandaged fingers. I pulled the hair as hard as I could without hurting my fingers, and a murmuring growl escaped his mouth. Our lips were together in one complete union; fire and ice. He breath across my face was just a sweet as I remembered, causing my dizziness to increase to impossible levels. His hand held my face and his other hand cupped the back of my head, and, amongst our passion, we both forgot my stitches. I suddenly choked on a wince as his hand came in contact with the injured area, and he instantly pulled his lips from mine.

"Ouch," I winced, feeling queasy from the tugging pain.

"Damn, I'm sorry, Bella," he said, evidently irritated with himself, though his quiet happiness was dominant. "I'll get you some more morphine."

I suddenly realise that was that first time I'd heard him curse, ever.

"Wait!" I called as he was almost at the door.

He smiled sideways at me, as though I were an amusing smile.

"I love you," I said. Well, that is what I attempted to say, although I suddenly choked up with emotion. I blinked rapidly, only to realise that the reason I couldn't see was because I was crying, _again. _"I-I just-t never th-thought I'd se-ee you ag-gain," I stammered, hiccuping violently through my tears. "A-all through the-e torture, all I-I wanted was to tell-l you tha-t it would-d be okay f-for you t-to move o-on. I had, have, no r-regrets. Only that-t I had-dn't had t-the chanc-e to s-see y-you one last-t tim-me."

Edward seemed to be frowning the way someone would just before they cry. His eyes seemed somehow glassy, and then, he was gripping me.

"God bless you, Bella Swan," he softly hushed as we bear hugged, arms wrapped right around each other, his face buried in my shoulder and mine in his. He voice seemed to crack and rise an octave as he said my name. I didn't quite understand his reasoning for his choice of words. I realised that maybe he had once been religious, which was probable, considering he was born in 1901. "Please," he begged in a whisper against my neck and hair, "Please don't cry. I cannot bare it." He kissed my forehead and I could imagine his eyes squeezing shut as he did so. He then pulled back and held my face millimeters from his. When we were eye-to-eye, my stomach flipped at the intensity in his ochre eyes. When he spoke, he sounded almost tearful, a rare characteristic for Edward who was nothing if not the strong and silent type.

"Isabella Swan," he said, obviously trying to keep his voice steady as he held my face in place. "Bella," he added, knowing my discontent with my full name.

"Yes?" I asked, not knowing for the life of me what he was to say next. Knowing Edward, it could have been anything.

His lips tugging up at the corners as he glanced downward, his long curled lashes dusting his cheeks as he did so. He was smiling at my bewildered expression. I really could be an open book sometimes. "I love you _so_ much," he said, shaking his head slightly as though it _was_ all completely bewildering. "There are no words to express how much I adore you, my love."

I was frozen for minutes, blissful, not sure anything in the entire universe could ever top the feeling.

A while later, I slowly raised a hand to cover one of his on my face as he caressed it. "You know, a wise man once told me that in Italian, there are over one hundred ways to say _'I love you,_'" I said, smirking and trying to hold back a laugh as I referenced our conversation at the plaza.

He smiled until his eyes creased, lighting up his face humour. "Wise words," he teased back lowly, slowly sitting on the edge of my bed as I sat up against my pillow. "I'll sample a few of them, shall I?"

I smile dreamily, resting my head to the side, suddenly sleepy, simply nodding.

_"__Significhi tutto per me__,_ Bella," he said, and kissed my hands. "You mean everything to me."

I wrinkled my nose in false disapproval. "Next."

"Quando ti vedo dimentico tutto." He was face to face with me again. "Without you, life has no meaning."

This time he kept going. I was captivated.

_"Come sei bella, Bella," _he said softly, wriggling his brows as my name was mentioned as part of the romantic sentiment. He paused, letting the flow of foreign words sink in. "How beautiful you are, Bella." He kept going. "My personal favourite, even in our native English..._ Tu sei la mia vita. _You are my life._"_

I huffed as all these romantic words were making me blush the deepest scarlet, my skin and neck felt on fire.

"_Cara mia, ti voglio bene... _My darling, I love you."

He pecked me lips twice, as though reaffirming his words.

"_Il mio cuore è solo tua._ My heart is yours."

I kept trying hard to keep my breathing even.

He smiled, running an icy finger over my dry lips. "_Senza di te la vita è un inferno."_

I watched as he began to leave. "What does that mean?"

He simply turned to me and smiled, as though I already knew somehow...and then he left, informing me he was fetching me more morphine.

"Sleep," he urged, rather sternly, but with kind eyes.

I lay there, falling slowly to sleep in the Cullen house, looking out the windows at the forest and the rain, when suddenly it came to me; the answer to my question; the reason for all the pain I had suffered in my last eighteen years; the reason why suddenly, since a few months ago, everything seemed to be better...

It came to me, like water in the Sahara; like fire in the icecaps, the answer to everything...

'Senza di te la vita è un inferno.'

_ Without you, life is hell._

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_


	8. Part VII

A/N: _Oh my lord, hey guys. I had the first of my English Lit exam today, did anyone else? Urgh, it was painful... I hope I got the A I need. Bright side, NEVER have to to study Of Mice and Men EVER AGAIN. YES. _  
_With me luck for the second half on Thursday... URGH._  
_I love you guys... Review to make my week? Please? _

_PEACE AND LOVE,_  
_x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x_

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part VII_ –––_

That night, and the next few that followed, despite all the relief and happiness I felt after finally seeing Edward again, the night-terrors began. They had no particular substance, but were more just distorted memories of the torture I had endured. The torturer's dark eyes filled my mind, followed soon after by the sharp hot agony of the electricity coursing through me from my most sensitive areas. It was too much, and I couldn't bring myself to stand it, so I found myself lashing out and screaming. Suddenly, my arms and legs were free, and there was no gag on my mouth, and so as dark-eyed torturer neared me, sneering, I took full advantage. I had never thought of myself as a violent person, but as I saw him nearing me I was trembling with adrenaline. I kicked and hit and screamed 'Please, get away from me,' 'Please no more.' Then I heard Jane's spine-chilling voice through the smoky surroundings, laughing at me. 'Just wait until we get to Edward. It'll be too late for both of you...' That panicked me, and I kicked my assaulter harder. After what felt like years of fighting, the body of my torturer was suddenly hard as stone, and ice cold. He was suddenly too strong, and he held my wrists and pinned me down. _No. No, please. Don't do it. Please don't rape me... _Terror made me tremble as I screamed and yelled, my torturer only getting stronger and stronger...  
"_Bella!" _a voice exclaimed, a kind voice mixed in so many others. Where was it coming from?  
_Edward, _I tried to yell for him, but I had suddenly lost my voice. There were screams drowning out my attempts at yelling.

"Bella! Bella, wake up! Bella, it's just a nightmare! Bella!"  
Suddenly, I was aware of where I was, and that the screams were mine. An icy statue of a man was pinning my limbs as gently as possible to the bed as I tried to lash out still. My eyes snapped open, and the image of my evil-eyed torturer was gone, replaced with the darkness of my room, and nothing else. No torturer. Nothing.

"Oh, Bella," Edward's voice came from the dark. He was trying desperately to hold my already injured body to the bed. It must have been him I was lashing out at while I was dreaming, as I could feel the pain of deep bruises already forming on my arms and legs where I'd kicked out at his marble body. I was gasping for breath, the movement so painful on my broken ribs that I became all the more breathless. I didn't realise I was shaking and sobbing until he let go of my arms and let himself fall onto the bed beside me. I buried my face into his fresh, crisp shirt, loving the cool feel of it.

"He...you...I...Jane...and...he was goin-g...to..r-rape..."

"_Shh_," Edward soothed, though sounding pained, interrupting my incoherent ramblings, rubbing my back and hair with large, increasingly gentle, icy hands. "It was just a dream. No one is ever going to hurt you. _Never_ again. I promise you. _Hush..." _He paused, his voice small_. _"Go back to sleep."

It had all just been a dream.

I was shaking so violently my voice shook. I was still terrified from the dream. I daren't close my eyes. This was the third night running.

"Hey, hey, _shh, _Bella. It's alright now. You're alright."

"I love you, Edward," I mumbled in between whimpers as I clung to his shirt like an infant would. I spoke the words almost as though I was sure he was about to disappear.

"I know," he soothed in a small voice. "And you know I love you just as much––_more_ in fact."

"Did I hurt you?" I asked, rather stupidly.

He looked sideways at me, chuckling. "As much as I am honoured for your concern, you are yet again worrying about the wrong person. Of course you didn't hurt me. I'll think you'll find that _you_ on the other hand may have acquired a few more bruises by the morning. Just as you did yesterday, and the morning before that..." He expression is pained as he refers to my nightmares. He slowly ran his cold, icy fingers over the bruises appearing on my knees and fists.

I rolled my eyes at my actions and his words, slightly tired of his self-blaming nature. "I suppose it serves me right for lashing out at a vampire in my sleep."

He didn't seem to be able to manage any more than a smirk.

"What happens now?" I asked, out of the blue.

"What do you mean?"

"Well... What about us? What are we?"

Edward smiled. "Well, the term 'boyfriend' seems to belittle what I feel for you."

I smiled back at him. "That's exactly how I feel too."

"Well then, maybe we don't need a word to describe what we are."

I nodded, agreeing with him. "I don't think there _is _a word."

"Unique, perhaps?"

I looked up past his jaw and saw his eyes sparkling with humour.

It may have just been a joke, but suddenly it hit me. "No, wait, you're right. There's _exactly_ it." I suddenly winced as my enthusiasm caused me to move too fast. My ribs burned in protest.

"Alright," he said, moving his face to look down at me. "You," he grinned. "Time for bed. Those ribs aren't going to mend themselves."

"It's not just my ribs that need mending," I said, though at first I wasn't sure why.

"I know, but ribs are bones, and in the grand scheme of things, bones mend quicker than anything. You'll see."

I relaxed against him, suddenly conscious of how much I believed in every word he said, even if he didn't. I was sure he was speaking about something much deeper than simply broken bones.

"Edward?" I asked, closing my eyes so I couldn't see his face. I felt almost like a child who had stayed up past bed time.

"Yes, my Bella?" he asked in a low, serene voice, perfectly patient as always.

I swallowed, hardly believing I was about to ask such a question, but I knew it couldn't be ignored. "Th... The burns," I swallowed again. "They'll scar, won't they?"

I felt his body almost turn to stone under me; a motionless statue. I hated to speak of it just as much as he hated to hear it, but I could hardly ignore it.

"Mostly likely," he clears his throat. "Though there's always hope," he said, his voice suddenly rough again. "The degree of the burns was too great... I'm so devastatingly sorry, Bella. We couldn't get treatment to you fast enough..."

"––No," I said, starting to move to over his mouth. "Don't you _dare _do this again; do not blame it on yourself! This is no ones fault alright? _Especially not yours." _

He was silent then, and for a moment or two I was sure maybe he'd turned to stone under me.

"I will never forgive myself," he said simply, "But I apologise if it upsets you..."

"Alright," I said, accepting, and equally apologetic, deciding to let it go as I ran a hand down his face. "I'm sorry too. It rattles us both... Sorry. I won't speak of it again."

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

When I woke the day of my classmates return from Argentina, Edward wasn't with me. My body still aching desperately, I was still strapped up, and I hadn't left the bed at all since I came round three days ago, other than to go to the toilet. Today though, I was determined to get up. I pulled the covers that were heavy on top of me to one side, and slightly, painfully, sat up, my strapped up torso making everything difficult. I swiveled slowly as my feet slowly touched the floor. The light off-white wooden floorboards were cold on my bare feet, and so it took me a few moments to be able to put weight them. I stood, slightly stumbling, and looked out into the beautiful view of the Washington woodland on the other side of the great floor to ceiling glass. The room in the Cullen house I had been hospitalised in was open, white and spacious, with a floor to ceiling glass window, and modern hospital equipment around the bed. I was no longer hooked up to an IV line, since Carlisle had disconnected it the night before. I still have bandages around my head to protect my stitches, and my ribs felt exactly as they had before, like they haven't healed one bit. It was almost like I was permanently winded.

I made my way out the room and into the corridor painfully slowly, concentrating on accurately placing one foot in front of the other, in no position to trust my balance. I reached the stairs, and eyed a large piece of art created with graduation caps of all hues and colours, ranging from reds and yellows, to deep blues and purples. _Strange. _The glass railings along the edge were thankfully there to prevent my near constant stumbling. I made it to the top of the stairs, and then tightly grasped with banister with all my strength, silently stepping down one step at a time. The stairs where white––the whole house was white––spacious, open and light. There were giant pains of floor to ceiling glass at every turn. It was exactly the opposite of what I had expected the Cullen household to be. No bats. No coffins. No dungeons.

I reached the middle of the staircase, and held tightly onto the banister. I could hear voices from somewhere down below. Beautiful, symphonic voices. Carlisle and Edward.

_ "What do we say?"_

_ "...that we collected her in Eleazar's helicopter."_

_ "It takes much less time..."_

_ "When are they expecting her home?"_

_ "Sometime this evening...I think. I spoke to Chief Swan this morning..."_

There was a pause, and I found myself holding my breath tightly in my lungs. It hurt, so I let it out silently. I felt like I was sneaking around and overhearing something I shouldn't. Having said that, it didn't stop me. I slowly made my way to the base of the stairs.

There was silence between the two of them. I froze, waiting.

"The burns, Carlisle," came Edward's voice. My breathing increased. _Oh god. _"She asked me if they'd scar." He sounded completely dejected.

I clasped my eyes shut.

_No, Edward. I'm sorry for asking. I'm so sorry. I'll never say it again. This isn't your fault. Please stop._

"And what did you tell her?" Carlisle asked, his doctor tone set in.

"That the chances of scaring is high, because of the degree of the burns." There was a pause.

"Well, that's the truth. You did right to tell her."

There was a very brief, tense pause. "But if only I'd gotten to her sooner, Carlisle... If only I had! Then her fragile human frame wouldn't be forever scarred by this..._monstrosity _of an event_; _she wouldn't have to look in the mirror every day for the rest of her life and be reminded_––" _He huffed, stopping himself. "This is _my_ fault, Carlisle! Mine. Why didn't I realise? If I had sensed Jane sooner...If I hadn't left––"

"Edward, _stop_ this!"

I had never heard such a tone coming from Carlisle before. He was suddenly authoritative; momentarily vexed and flustered.

"You are not helping her this way. This will do no good, for either of you. Bella needs your support, not your self-abhorrence. She herself has told you so, _I_ have told you so, alright? Do you understand me, Edward? There is no more you can have done. I know you love her, and you find your soul is bound to her with a connection beyond your control, but you are making _her_ suffer, as well as yourself. You may be trying to distance yourself for your own self-inflicted punishment, but you don't seem to fathom that you are upsetting her in the process, and will continue to do so..." There was a pause, and just like that, soft Dr. Carlisle could be heard again. It was almost as though he had never left. "_Enough_." The word was enphasised, yet simple and easy. As always with Carlisle's methods, it was effective. "I love you, my son," spoke Carlisle, his voice so warm all of a sudden that I felt it's heat and devotion right in the depths of my heart and soul. Edward was right. He really was the king of compassion.

I decided now was my time to make enough noise for them to hear me. I moved down the rest of the stairs just as slow as I had been before, only this time letting my bare feet slap a little against the stairs.

There was silence, the murmuring seised, so I knew they must have heard me. I walked to the doorway of what I could see was the lounge, with a great filled bookcase filling one whole wall. Edward turned from his position at one of the large windows, and his eyes connected with mine across the space. I had half of my hospital-gown clad body hidden behind the doorframe, weary, and almost afraid, to step over the threshold; completely unsure of how he's react to seeing me out of bed.

"Bella?" he enquired, surprised. "What are you doing out of bed?" He sounded far too concerned. "You should have called for me. Are you alright? "

"I..." I tried to speak, but my voice was suddenly lost. "I know, I'm sorry... I just really need a shower."

"What if you had fallen?" he asked, rather rhetorically, as a frown, yet _again, _set into his beautiful features. I gave a small, helpless shrug, not wanting to admit out loud that I was just desperate to see him and wouldn't have cared much if I had fallen on the way.

"A shower's a no-can-do, I'm afraid," Edward said softly, walking across the room to meet me. Carlisle was suddenly on the other side of the room, smiling at me, his arm around Esme, Edward's mother. They turned to each other, discussing something. "A bath on the other hand, should be feasible." Edward slowly made his way to me. "Bella," he shook his head, suddenly disapproving again. "You're shivering."

I looked down at myself, my bare arms and legs, and suddenly realised he was right.

Edward walked over to the couch and pulled a blanket off the back, before walking over to me and curling it around my body. He was tusking at me for my lack of layers, but he seemed happier. His golden eyes weren't so distant anymore, but warm and emotive. His shiny bronze hair was all over the place, but as usual, looked flawless.

I found that suddenly I had yet again lost my voice.

"Come," he beckoned, sliding an arm around my hips and another over my shoulders. "I'll run you a bath," he spoke softly. "You're going to need help getting undressed and washed with all these bandages. I'll call Alice."

We reached the base of the stairs, and Edward lifted me into his arms before I could stop him.

"Did you walk all the way down these stairs by yourself?" he asked, his tone disapproving.

I swallowed as I close my eyes against his shirt. "Don't hold my curiousity against me. I'm only human."

He thankfully realised my joke, and I felt him laugh as we reached the first floor.

Suddenly, Alice was in front of us. "Hey, Bella. How are you feeling?"

I turned my head as Edward walked into a room along the corridor, suddenly conscious of how much he'd take on my response. Alice followed us into the large, marble bathroom. "I've been better, I suppose," I said, my voice careful.

She laughed. "Don't worry, Bella, you can say how you really feel. Edward's _always_ overprotective. Recent events have just put him on edge and made him grouchy."

Edward placed me down on the rocking chair in the corner, looking disgruntled. "_Gee_, Alice. Thanks so much," he said, slightly sarcastic.

"There really are," I coughed suddenly, then winced at the pain the sparked through my chest as a result, "some things that only Alice can say to you, aren't there, Edward?"

Alice winked at me, laughing to herself, and walked over to the door. Edward smiled too, and I was suddenly very conscious of his soothing fingers rubbing my packed and layers ribs. "I'll go get you some clothes," she said, with a slight comic edge to her voice. Edward walked over to the bath after a moment, which was very deep and long, and turned on the taps. His tested the temperature with his fingers as I watched silently, marveling over the look of the crisp clear water slipping over his irony skin.

Alice entered again, after merely a second, this time carrying clothes, and disrupted me from my ogling. Suddenly I was nervous, the very idea of taking off my clothes terrified me, especially if it meant having to look at my injuries and...developing _scars._

Edward seemed to notice, and I felt him suddenly crouch in front of me, running a hand down the side of my face and neck. "I'll be right outside," he assured softly. I reached up and kissed him once, causing his tense expression to melt into a smile.

"Okay. I'm alright though, really I am. But thank you," I acknowledged.

I watched Edward leave and shut the door behind him, then turned to Alice, who was mixing bubble bath liquid into the running water. It smelt heavenly of vanilla.

Alice smiled, noting my nervous posture. "Are you really okay, Bella?"

I swallowed, looking up. "I am now. Your family saved me."

Alice was suddenly sat beside me, perching on the edge on the rocking chair.

"I'm so glad you're alive, Bella. I don't know what my brother would have done if you hadn't made it." I simply blinked at her, marveling over her simple, obvious beauty. "I've seen your future, Bella, and I hope we can become great friends just as I've seen."

I smiled at that, amused by the fact her mention of her psychic abilities hadn't shocked me at all.

"I'd like that too," I said. "Very much."

"Great," she squealed, hugging me tightly until I winced. "Sorry," she said, withdrawing from the embrace. "Okay, now for the more awkward part."

I had to smile at her frank attitude. "_Right_," I nod, understanding, "the undressing." I held out my arms, slowly standing. "Go right ahead," I said.

"You trust me to undress you?" She genuinely seemed surprised as she slowly pulled up my hospital gown.

I laughed, feeling the pain of it rip up my side. "Alice, you're a vampire and here I am, battered and ripped up, and I'm in no danger. Of course I trust you."

Alice smiled, happy. "Good, because you should know you're already like a sister to me, Bella."

I just smiled back, warming to her all the more. "And you me, Alice––_truly_." She smiled and giggled slightly, so I found myself doing the same. It almost felt like we were little girls whispering about something we shouldn't be like boys or kissing.

"Okay then, Miss Swan." We smiled and giggled together, her golden honey nectar eyes glinted. "Bath time."

–––ℬ&ℰ–––


	9. Part VIII

A/N: Hey guys! So, I'm currently listening to Rob Pat on my iPod in the sun on study leave... BLISS... Second half of English Lit tomorrow though... then Spanish Reading... BOO :(  
ANYWAY, this is the last chapter, and then there's an epilogue after this... I can't believe I passed 169 hits in ONE DAY yesterday... WOW. I've got like a thousand hits for this story so far, which is insane... Just a shame that most of you don't raise your voices though!  
ANYWAY, thank you, merci beaucoup, muchas gracias!  
REVIEW PLEASE? MAKE MY DAY? :)

PEACE AND LOVE,  
x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road **

"_Hey Mr. Pinochet,  
__You've sown a bitter crop.  
__It's foreign money that supports you,  
__One day the money's going to stop.  
__No wages for your torturers.  
__No budget for your guns.  
__Can you think of your own mother,  
__Dancin' with her invisible son?  
__They're dancing with the missing,  
__They're dancing with the dead.  
__They dance with the invisible ones,  
__They're anguish is unsaid.  
__They're dancing with their fathers,  
__They're dancing with their sons,  
__They're dancing with their husbands,  
__They dance alone,  
__They dance alone."_

––_'They Dance Alone'_ - Sting, 1987.

(For the Cold War victims of Argentina and Chile.)

* * *

––– Part VIII_ –––_

All humour had left me once my hospital gown was removed. It seemed almost my entire body was either bruised, padded, or strapped up. My skin was almost like s strange, twisted piece of art, littered with hues of blue, brown, purple, red and yellow. I tried to regulate my breathing as I watched my reflection in the full length mirror. One word filled my mind as I frowned.

_Ouch. _

My ribs were strapped up tightly in what appeared to be some sort of medical plastic with bandage lining it. I had padding and gauze covering the burns on breasts, and more padding down..._there, _between my thighs_. _I tore my eyes from the girl in the mirror, aware that Alice was still with me, though her back was turned as she sorted through towels. I tightly gripped my towel dressing gown back around me as Alice came over. "Ready?" she questioned. I simply nodded, thankful she was with me. Slowly she leant down and picked me up effortlessly, careful not to touch any particularly sore areas. She placed me gently, as though I weighted nothing, into the deep, bubble bath, taking my gown from me. I gasped, a strange sensation passing through me as the warm water came in contact with my sore skin. I noted, thankfully, the water wasn't particularly hot, but warm. My skin already burned were I'd been scolded, so to have water that was slightly cooling was a godsend. I let myself slowly slip under the bubbles, careful not to put pressure of where it was painful..._down there. _The cool water passed over the padding on my chest and soaked into the bandages, cooling the burns there. Oh, sweet relief. _Thank you lord!_

"Feel better?" Alice asked, and I looked sideways at her, feeling my achey body start to relax a little.

"Yes," I said, simply feeling too overwhelmed all of a sudden. No other words came out.

"Edward's going crazy out there," Alice laughed suddenly. "He can hear your wincing... He's contemplating ramming the door down." I smiled meekly as she reached out from where she perched next to the bath and tied my dark hair into a loose bun behind my head, out of the water's way.

"Let him know there's no reason to be worried. I'm in safe enough hands with his sister."

She smiled, tipping her head to the side. "He can hear you––us. He's worried I'll forget to redress your bandages, or let you drown in the bath, or something to that effect."

We laugh together at Edward's expense, before I quickly stop myself. Poor Edward. I suddenly felt a great rush of fresh empathy for him. He wasn't really be hat unreasonable at all. After all, if things were the other way around, I knew I'd just be as panicked and paranoid as he was.

I decided them to let him have his way, if it meant he'd receive even the smallest amount of peace of mind.

Suddenly there was a soft, appreciative sigh from Alice. "I'll go and get him," Alice said, her eyes glinted knowingly. She had obviously seen my decision to let Edward in the very moment I made it. _Surreal. _

She left, graceful as the wind, and a moment later, I heard the door open again. I kept my head forward, suddenly shy, even though all my body was submerged up to my neck in white bubbles and water.

"You're afraid," he said, his voice neutral as he sat across the room from me.

"Of what's happened to me, of the _unknown_," I clarified. "Not of _you_."

He slowly walks toward the bath, toward me, sitting rather un-Edward-like manner, cupping his bent-upward knees and crossing his ankles as he sat on the tiled floor next to the bath. His height meant that even like this our heads were practically level.

It was time, I decided, to clear the air.

I sighed, noting his silence. "Will you ever let this go? I'm _alright_, Edward. Look at me––_feel me," _I exasperated, reaching out from the water and grasping his marble arm with my wet hand. His head snapped up at my sudden movement. "I'm still skin, I'm still bone, I'm still cells, I'm still sixty per cent water... I'm still _me_. My bones may be broken and my skin may be bruised but, Edward...I'm _alive. You_ _saved_ me. So many others in that school never made it out, but _I_ did...All because of you, and your amazing, heavenly family... Stop punishing yourself. _Please."_

He was gazing at me by the time I'd finished.

"Please..." I begged, all pride gone. I just wanted him to smile. "I love you," I breathed, and then suddenly he was against me. His hand cupped the back of my neck as his lips were hard against mine, desperate. His fingers threaded through my hair that had fallen from my loose bun.

"_Bella._" His voice was almost a sob.

_Oh no. No, dear Edward. No._

His lips trailed across my face, before softly touching my eyelids.

He pulled his face only inches from mine, his face ashen. "I was so afraid."

_Oh, Edward._

"You were dying," he choked. "I had to consider that if you didn't..." He tried to clear his throat, "make it, what I would do..."

I blinked back my tears at his raw emotion. "Not this again," I croaked. "I don't want to hear about you hurting yourself because of me..." I suddenly felt enraged. "Edward, one day something is going to separate us; a disease, old age, an accident. Every day, every minute, I'm dying... One day I'm _going_ to die, and you seem to think it's...that you can..._kill_ yourself...straight after...I don't––I _can't _let that happen. I just _can't.._." My breathing had increased as I almost began hyperventilating. The very thought of Edward having himself..._killed _made my heart hammer and my stomach lurch.

Edward closed his eyes for a moment or two, and I smiled slightly as his hands cupped my cheek so gently, as though I would break. "I cannot be without you, Bella. I can't live in a world where you do not exist."

"That's not true," I argued, rather pathetically. "You have lived without me for over a hundred years."

He sighed, his other hand tugging at the beautiful madness that was his luscious bronze hair. "I _can_ be alone, I can be without you, yes, I am capable of it... But I just...I have no wish, no desire, to be without you ever, _ever _again. There's no reason on this earth as to why I should be without you now I know I love you––unless you ever told me to leave, in which case, I would... All I know is, I will have no purpose on this earth once you're gone, Bella. None."

I felt my face scrunch up, and I ignored the tug of my stitches on my hairline. "Will you stop talking about me like I'm two minutes away from dropping dead? As long as I'm human, I will never be safe from death. Not unless you make me like yo––"

He interrupted me, firmly. "No. Never that, not unless it is the the only option, which it _won't _ever be. I won't let it."

"But why didn't you just change me, after you found me?"

He frowned. "Not only is it more complicated than that, but I am also...far too devoted to you as you _are_ for that... If I bit you, the pain you felt in that torture room would be something you would be _begging _for... You would be begging me to kill you, but you wouldn't be able to. You wouldn't be able to move or speak. The pain is excruciating... I can't bare the idea of putting you through that... Besides, I love _you, _Bella, as the beautiful human young woman you are. I'm not ready to give you up yet..." He suddenly sounded like a seventeen year old boy; vulnerable and inexperience. Softly, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders, seemingly helpless to his feelings. "I just got you."

My heart thawed of its anger and I melted, smiling. "I totally understand that point, Mr. Cullen. If ours roles were reversed, I..."

I flailed, suddenly losing my train of thought, then realising I hadn't lost it, I simply didn't _have _one. I could find no words.

I looked back at Edward, totally lost for words. He smiled knowingly.

"Words cannot express much, can they?" he stated softly, and I felt myself laugh.

_Ouch. _I had forgotten how much laughing hurts.

"We better get you out of there, or you'll be permanently pruned," he laughed, cleverly changing the subject.

Slowly, Edward turned and picked up my gown, giving me chance to very slowly get to my feet in the bath. His eyes were firmly on mine, never straying once, as he wrapped the gown around my bubble covered bandaged naked bod, and lifted me, much to my horror, out of the bath. I flushed the deepest shade of scarlet as I hid my face from him. Edward, of course, was completely calm and cool, and simply acted as though there were nothing for me to be embarrassed about.

"Here," Edward said, placing a tube of what appeared to be cream in my hand. "For the burns."

I felt my lips make an 'O' as I cringed. Oh god. I had completely forgotten about that. I suddenly looked at my reflection in the mirror. My bandages and pads on my breasts and..._down there _were coming loose because of the water, and I gaped at the sight of the burns underneath. They very sight of my made me feel like retching. Suddenly, all the pain in my body came back to me along with a strong bout of quesiness, and I felt myself sway on my feet. Edward instantly caught me, tusking in a ridiculously concerned manner.

"Woah, Bella, hey," Edward crooned. "What's wrong? Are you alright?"

I gasped for breathing as he quickly gathered me in his arms, frowning.

I closed my eyes, and next thing I knew, we were in a the room I had been staying in.

"I can't look," I whispered, hiding my face in my hands after I had thrown the tube of cream away. "Please, Edward, I can't..."

Part of me couldn't believe what I was asking of him, and also couldn't believe I was still naked in front of him under my gown. But a greater part of me was simply too afraid to move, never mind look at the damage to my body.

I slowly pulled my head from my hands, and Edward was stood opposite where I was sat on the bed. He looked conflicted as he stared at me.

"I'll get Alice to redo your bandages," he said distractedly. Instantly, I tried to leap up to catch up with him, but I couldn't maneuver due to my strapped up ribs. I gasped out, pain burning. "Edward, no, please!"

He came back instantly, and shook his head a little as he softly pushed my body down onto the bed. "Alright," he murmured, his eyes kind. "Of course, I'll do it, if you're sure that's what you want."

I swallow, taking the leap, not quite believing my own words. "Yes."

I maintained eye-contact as he leant over me where I lie on the bed. Slowly he squeezed the white cream from the tube onto his equally pale fingers, and, with his other hand, he lowered my gown from one shoulder slowly and carefully. He keep his eyes on mine, and once I felt the gown fall away from my chest, my breath hitched. He slowly, delicately pulled the saturated gauze and surgical tape from my breasts, and went to bring the cream to my nipple. I kept my eyes on his, not wanting to look down at my body, knowing I'd flush an even deeper red. Then, he neared me, our faces inches apart. "This is going to hurt," he whispered, pained. "I'm so sorry."

And he wasn't lying. Once the cold anti-biotic cream on his cold fingers touched the scorched skin of my breasts, I felt my body spasm with panic as it tried to get away from the cold, painful intrusion. I let out a gasping wince, and Edward instantly withdrew his hand a little. Slowly, his cold forehead touched mine as we nuzzled our heads together, still staring into each other's eyes. Gradually, he rubbed the cream into my breasts again. One, and then the other. He held my body in place to keep me still, and softly, tenderly, kissed my jaw. "Alright?" he checked, nuzzling his nose with mine. I simply tried to nod, but the pain was burning. I no longer cared for the fact I was practically completely naked in front of Edward Cullen. Pain, I noted, seemed to change everything.

Once finished, Edward moved away, then came back with more gauzes and cotton wool pads. He gently padded the burns back up, then lowered his mouth, and kissed my sternum delicately.

Softly, he began to hum the unknown lullaby I had heard once or twice before, and slowly he undid the rest of my gown. I closed my eyes, relaxing into the sheets under me as I decided to totally trust the man above me. He was only trying to take the pain away, after all, he had completed a medical degree once or twice in his time.

Slowly, I felt the gauze and surgical tape..._down there _slowly being unpeeled by Edward's cool, long fingers. There was complete silence, and I clenched my eyes shut tighter, grinding my teeth, bracing myself. I was concentrating so hard on the pain to come, I jumped out of my skin as I felt the unexpected feeling of Edward's lips on my cheek.

"Relax, Bella," I breathed. "It'll be over soon. Just try to relax."

He took my hand, interlocking our fingers. The feeling of his cold skin against the sensitive skin my feverish and bandaged fingers was heavenly.

Suddenly, there was an angry violent scorching sensation _down there_, and I couldn't stop the beginnings of a cry from escaping my lips. The moment I heard my own exclamation, I bit down painfully on my lower lip, tipping my head back and scrunching my eyes shut to the point I could see red. Edward's cold fingers continued to rub the burns on my inner thighs and beyond. I felt his face nuzzle mine as I hissed through my grinding teeth.

"_Shit_," I whimpered, trying to resist the urge to cry. I didn't like to swear at all, ever, as it seemed a crass use of the English language, but there were times when I made a definite exception. I suddenly worried what Edward would think of me, as I had never heard him swear at all, or curse, or cuss––nothing, ever. "How long until they h-heal?" I choke out desperately. Slowly, I felt the friction and the pain subside between my thighs as he withdrew his fingers from his task, and I could hear my rapid breathing and heartbeat in my ears. I suddenly considered how it was strange that the actions Edward had just done would be seen totally differently than what they were if the man above me were anyone less compassionate and loving than Edward.

I opened my eyes, and multiple tears instantly escaped, running down my temples and into my hair where I lay still on the bed. Edward was finishing his patching up between my legs.

"The good thing, if there _is_ a good thing to be said about burns, is that they patch themselves up at an incredible pace. That's part of the reason why they scar actually, because the skin cells form scar tissue as they heal so fast." His voice was low and practical sounding, almost like a doctor.

"Why aren't you a doctor?" I whispered rhetorically.

He smiled tightly at me. "Not old enough."

I laughed a little at his joke, but my ribs burned, so I stopped. Slowly, I reached for Edward, but he stepped away.

"I'll be right back," he assured, and sure enough, a second later, he was.

"I love you," I whispered as we lay on the bed, side by side, the mid-afternoon overcast outside the floor length window setting a dull, dim light throughout the room. Edward brought a soft, silky nightdress over my head, followed by an over-sized knitted sweater that smelt purely of a crisp spring morning and some sort of lilac, honey breeze... It was purely _him_. I inhaled deeply. _Yes_, I realised, _it must be his. _

"I'm glad," Edward joked weakly. He sounded tired as he lay back down next to me once I was clothed, wrapping my carefully in a blanket before hugging me to him. "Otherwise things could have gotten awkward rather quickly."

I laugh breathlessly, still deeply mortified from what had just occurred. I found myself squirming as best I could away from him. "I can't believe... Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry you had to just do..._that_," I mumbled, hiding my face in my hands, painfully embarrassed.

Suddenly though, Edward was laughing, as in, _really _laughing. He then held my head in between his hands, still grinning, hiding his amusement very poorly. "You really do worry too much, Miss Swan. There's no need to be apologising. If anything, _I _should be saying I'm sorry, not you. Besides," he chuckled again, "I may be slightly embarrassed too if you can believe it, but mostly, I really couldn't care less as long as you're okay."

I blink, still flushed, trying to understand. "So...have you spoken to Charlie?" I asked suddenly, wanting a change of subject.

He smiled tentatively, before tucking my head under his icy chin. "Yes. Your father is very worried about you. We have told him you're arriving back in Forks today, later on. Your mom is also around, apparently staying at a hotel in Port Angeles. They both want to see you're okay, which is perfectly understandable."

_Renée, too? Wow. _"If only they knew," I joked of the alibi the Cullens had devised. Getting thrown across the room because of electricity may have been a far-fetched, big-deal if it had happened to anyone but me. But, of course, it never would.

"I think we may speak to them about letting you stay here a while longer, considering my father is a doctor and so can 'dress your burns regularly.' After all, I can hardly imagine Chief Swan volunteering." We both laugh at the thought of poor, flustered, emotional Charlie trying to cope with that.

"So... If they agree to letting me stay here for a few more days, does that mean that in fact..._you _will be caring for me, and _not _Carlisle?"

He smiled knowingly. "Most likely, although I would rather your parents were not told of that idea. Your father already does not quite approve of me."

I laugh whole-heartedly, realising that if Charlie Swan _really_ knew what my Edward was capable of and what he had_ already_ done to save me, then he actually would _very much _approve.

"Okay, you're right," I smiled, reaching up to kiss his nose.

He tusked at me, sidetracking me from my sentence. "Mind your ribs!" he murmured lowly, a gentle warning he gave quite sternly, as though speaking to a toddler. I carried on, ignoring him and the pain in my sides.

"Alright, _Cullen_," I bantered, referring to him as a jock would; by his surname. "You can act bereaved no longer. I'm here to stay; as long as you'll have me."

Edward smiled brightly, showing pearly teeth, an expression of complete exultation and joy. He appeared as though he was the winner of some worldly, golden prize, when in fact it was quite frank to me that _I _was the incredibly lucky winner here. The laugh lines at his mouth, cheeks and eyes highlighting his beauty even more. Happiness really was a good look on him.

He curled me tighter into his chest as his lips touched my hair, above my stitches. His bright eyes were a mix of yellow ochre and bronze aeneous tones that I had never seen before. He icy lips touched mine, and I marveled at his sorrel hair that was perfectly quaffed yet tousled all at once. He was simply magnificent.

His words next made my heart swell twice it's size; all my pain and anxiety forgotten.

"You took words straight from my mouth, Miss Swan."

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_


	10. Part IX

A/N: YO guys! So, I've got even more hits yesterday than the day before... You guys are spoiling me! I'm so glad you've liked this story... Stay tuned for more Edward/Bella in the future - there will be some, don't worry, I love them so much, I can't help myself!  
For now, I'll be completing my HSM story that is based on my disability and life coping with it... I promised I would go back to that when I've finished this and I will! (Once my exams are mostly over...)  
So, yeah, here's the Epilogue of GBTBR... Again, I love you guys for this... THANK YOU FOR THE HITS. Review if you like it?

MWAH!

PEACE & LOVE,  
x x x STARSWalkBACKWARD x x x

* * *

**God Bless The Broken Road**

"_I set out on a narrow way many years ago,_**_  
_**_Hoping I would find true love along the broken road.  
__But I got lost a time or two,  
__Wiped my brow and kept pushing through.  
__I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you._

_I think about the years I spent,just passing through.  
__I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you.  
__But you just smile and take my hand.  
__You've been there; you understand.  
__It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true._

_Every long lost dream, led me to where you are.  
__Others who broke my heart; they were like Northern stars,  
__Pointing me on my way into your loving arms.  
__This much I know is true;  
__That God blessed the broken road,  
__That led me straight to you."_

_ ––'God Bless The Broken Road' - _Rascal Flatts.

* * *

___––– _Epilogue___ –––_

"Please, please, _stop_, _STOP!"_

There was beautiful quiet in the meadow, until my dreams––nightmares––interrupted it. One minute I had been staring up at my 'Best of Shakespeare' collection, and the next I found myself suddenly lying back in the flowers and the long grass, waking violently from a nightmare. The sky is, rather miraculously, cloudless and blue, and as I blink and open my eyes, I am amazed to see the sky was still clear. I feel icy lips on my cheek then, and I jump, before I turn and see the sparkling-skinned Edward Cullen frowning at me with a concerned expression as the sun shone above him. His skin like hundreds of thousands of tiny sparkling clear-cut diamonds. Ever since the day he first showed me the reason his kind cannot go out in direct sunlight, it has dazzled me. _Gosh_, he is still just as beautiful as ever, even with that frown.

I stare blankly up at the sky, terror from the nightmare causing me to shake. It had been about the torture again, only this time, in this dream, the torturers made Edward _watch_... The whole concept is choking me. I can only guess how pale I have become.

"_Bella... Hush_," he crooned, curling me into his arms. "It's okay, love. I'm here now. It was just a dream. You're safe," he murmured as he rocked me, his voice as sweet as honey and caramel as his lips dusted me brow, temple and hair.

I reached up to touch his hair, before sitting up and nuzzling it with my nose. I close my eyes blissfully. "I know," I say, though I'm shaking.

He murmurs a soft sound as he frowns at me. "I thought you said the nightmares had stopped."

I shake my head a little. "They've subsided, but I don't think they'll ever go away completely..."

He smiles in his usual crooked grin type manner, shaking his head a little, he frowns again. "You should have told me," he said, his tone like almost like a worried over-protective mother-hen.

I shrug, helpless, but touched by his concern, knowing he means well. "Being with you usually makes it all better."

"Oh Bella... I thank the heavens every day that you didn't bleed out on that metal slab... You're everything."

I reach up and grasp him, stopping him, not wanting to relive it.

Slowly, his face meets mine and our lips collide in a sweet union. His hands move freely into my hair and then one cups the back of my neck. My fingers go to touch his square, angular jaw, and suddenly one of his hands meets mine there. His hands cups my wrist at his jaw––another trademark gesture––and I tug with free, flexing fingers at his beautiful golden bronze tousled locks. He murmurs a content sound and as I smile into our kiss, I start thinking about how much we'd been through over the last few months.

Our first meeting in Biology; Edward saving me from the van; our first date in Argentina; then our first kiss up the mountain. Followed soon my feverish illness; and then my near death by torture, from which I was saved my Edward and his family.

Now, laying in 'Edward's meadow'––as I _secretly_ like to call it––with my last semester of Junior year is over and done, my mind still boggles as to how quickly things can change. My scars are still very much clear markings on my breasts, inner thighs, and _down there, _but luckily nothing was permanently damaged, and all markings are well hidden from view of anyone. Well, except the scars from the burns on my fingers, which, though caused by the same torture as the others, happen to fit perfectly with my 'thrown across the room by mains electrics' alibi. There may be a scar on my head from my hairline fracture for a long time, but I couldn't find the strength to care.

Soon, if I get my way, scars would be a thing of the past.

Soon, _if _I get my way, which I _will_, I will be like Edward, a vampire. It is my destiny now to join him in his world, I know it more than I know the back of my hand, and no one can stand in the way of that; _no one, _not even the ever charming and ever stubborn Edward Cullen.

As it turns out, though _I _did not expose to the world what happened to me in Argentina, others did, as well as the FBI and the CIA, who received an anonymous tip about the tortures very soon after I was saved. When Edward told me, and when, a day later, the news broke throughout the world, I was, quite obviously, curious as to who tipped the intelligence agencies off, and how and how _much_ they knew. Edward smirked at me, giving some cryptic few lines about Carlisle and Eleazar's connections, before stating "Don't ask." It was then I remembered Eleazar's words to Edward as they were saving my life.

_"...We cannot kill them all or there will be no torturers for the investigative services to find! They cannot be found dead, or they will be mistaken for victims..." _

I gave Edward a smirk of my own, suddenly understanding that it had been them , the Cullens, who had tipped of the authorities. _Ha_, he thought he was so smart. He would never know...

"What are you thinking about?" Edward asks, bringing me out of my thoughts, stroking my hair and curling a piece behind my ear.

"Our short but eventful life together so far," I breathe, suddenly needing more oxygen as he kisses the corner of my mouth, obviously trying to distract me from the book I had been blindly staring at.

"Yes, and there's much more of it to come," he husked, kissing the other corner slowly. "Hopefully minus the danger, though––if I have my way."

I smirk, letting him kiss my cheekbone. "I like danger," I challenge. Suddenly, I decide to push him backwards into the grass, only for me to climb on top of his body, my left leg straddling his stomach. I lowered my lips so there is merely a hair's breadth between us, and I bask the feeling of closeness with him as he cupped the back of my knee and thigh, pulling me nearer.

"Well, you're certainly playing with fire now, Miss Swan," he grins crookedly, and it is so adorable that a grin I have to kiss it.

"No," I correct, between kisses as I made a point of pressing my hot hand to his icy face. "Playing with _ice_."

I smirk at my pun and he laughs loudly, tipping back his head, before kissing me again, slender fingers brushing my sides. "It's not so dangerous playing with ice," I add lazily.

He shakes his head. "That's what they'd have you believe."

I pull up his left hand from my waist and check his watch. _Damn. _

"I have to get home," I say, with a slight pout. Though I know I do indeed have to leave, I kiss him again. He deepens the kiss, before kissing the entire expanse of my face. _Damn. _

"No, Edward," I say breathlessly, though I make no attempt to halt his affections. "I really have to go. Charlie will be waiting."

He reluctantly pulls away, almost acting his apparent human age for once. I smile apologetically at him, before rising to my feet. As I gather my things from the grass, he sits, just watching me.

"What?" I ask, slightly self-conscious all over a sudden.

"I have something for you," he says, his voice soft and kind. He gets to his feet and stands at his full height in front of me. "Give me your hand," he commands, and I do so eagerly. He takes it with his cold fingers, and places something cool and small in my palm. I withdraw my hand from his slowly, and then, slowly, I look down to regard the object in my hand. I gasp, disbelieving, at what I see: a beautifully crafted circular locket, made of gold, with a beautifully light gold chain. It fitted perfectly into my palm, around one inch in diameter give or take as far as I could tell. A stunning, intricate design covered the front, with what appeared to either be a sun or a flower caved delicately in the centre, surrounded by tiny, detailed swirls and dots around the edge. It was all so beautiful, down to every last detail, and thousands of hours had obviously been spent creating it. I look up at Edward, eyes wetting with tears, to thank him, but no words came out, so instead, I used words he had once said to me.

"Words cannot express much, can they?" I breathe.

He smiled, touching my face. "Do you like it?"

I want to kiss away the concern and anxiety on his face, so I do. My lips touch his cheek as I try to reach his lips. "_Like _it? Edward, it's exquisite!" I find myself breathless. 'Thank you so _so _much!" I hug him to me tightly, and he hugs back like any man would. His arms wind all the way around my rib cage, high up my back. His kisses me and our bodies are closely pressed together; fire and ice. His sweet cool breath spreads across my face, and for a moment, I am lost. "Where did you find it?"

"It was my mother's," he says in a soft murmur. My heart melts. _Oh wow._ His whole expression and tone seem to warm at the very mention of her, but at the same time that warmth seems to be tainted with a slight sense of melancholy.

"You miss her," I state, sad for him. He nods, but doesn't seem too sad as he looks up at me. He kisses my forehead once, then looks back into my eyes, his hands clasped together around me, at the small of my back.

"Turn it over," he suggested, and when as I do, I really do want to cry. There, curved around the plain underside of the locket in a beautiful curved script, is a quote, I, as a lover of classics, know well. I read it aloud, trying not to choke up.

"Come what sorrow can, It cannot countervail the exchange of joy , That one short minute gives me in her sight. Then love-devouring death do what he dare -it is enough I may but call her mine."

I look up at Edward, awestruck. How did he _know_?

_"These violent delights have violent ends,"_ I say softly, continuing the quote, which is taken from a classic scene from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet.' _"And in their triumph die, like fire and powder. Which, as they kiss, consume."_

He smiled, proudly. "You _know_ it," he grins, pulling me closer so his nose touches my forehead. "I knew you would," he whispers, crossing his wrists against the small of my back. "I had the quote added, just for you... You never let me down, Bella, yet I never seem to give you what you deserve––I'm always underestimating you."

"Hush, you. Enough of that," I scold playfully, placing both hands on either side of his face.

"May I?" he asks of the locket. I smile, and hand him it delicately, turning so he can fasten it around my neck. It comes to rest on my sternum, and I know in that moment I will never again be able to be without it. His lips touched my forehead again as he turns me around and hugs me to him. He begins to hum. "What is that?" I ask of the tune he has hummed before.

"A composition of mine," he says, suddenly bashful. I smirk and laugh a little at his self-consciousness. It feels strange to see him this way. "I like to play the piano. I wrote it for you, after the first night I watched you sleep."

I'm stunned. "You write music?"

"There's so much you don't know," he coos, smiling.

"Will I _ever _know everything?"

"I intend to make sure of it," he states, smoothing my dark hair, kissing me once to confirm his words.

"I should go," I say, remembering my over-protective Chief-of-Police father again.

"Alright. Back down the mountain we go then," he smiles.

"Are we walking back?" I question jokily. "I mean, I don't mind, it's just that that broken, rocky track is a recipe for disaster for a un-coordinated klutz like yours truely."

"We don't have to walk," he says, his smile light, his eyes giving a much deeper message. "Although, it seems you can cope with broken roads. You've been through so much already..."

At his words, a line from somewhere, someplace, I still don't know where to this day, comes to me; no words have ever seemed to fit as well as these. Looking into his ocher eyes, I know deep in my heart and soul that I am safe now, and that he is finally safe too.

As we make our way through the meadow, destined for home, I smile to myself, pausing before I speak to him. Though the traumas in my life may never completely go away, I didn't have to worry anymore, because neither, I knew, would Edward.

"Well then..." I take his hand as he sparkles like a hundred thousand diamonds under the sun. "You know what? I've always felt like I've been falling...literally _tumbling_ through my life. But now... I'm beginning to learn to thank the lord for this twisted, awkward road I've had to travel on, because it ultimately lead me here, to you..."

He raises his beautifully dark eyebrows, smiling as though I'd just awarded him so sort of prize, and pulls me under his arm as it lays over my shoulder. I smile shyly up at him as he turns and lifts me like a feather onto his back. He looks over his shoulder at me as we make our way to a clearing, where the entire expanse of Forks and beyond is visible. It's a stunning sight to behold, but with Edward, my eyes are already preoccupied. Next to him, the sight was nothing.

"You're right," he states, his voice like honey. Then, he smiles again_,_ and opens his mouth, speaking words I know I have heard somewhere before. Silently, look up to the sky as I hug his neck tighter. _Thank you, lord. _

_"I say, God bless the broken road," _he says as he peeks at me, "_that led me straight to you."_

–––ℬ_&ℰ–––_

_I think about the years I spent, just passing through.  
__I'd like to have the time I lost, and give it back to you.  
__But you just smile and take my hand.  
__You've been there; you understand.  
__It's all part of a grander plan, that is coming true..._

_This much I know is true;  
_That God blessed the broken road,  
That led me straight to you."

–––ℬ&ℰ–––


End file.
